Ad Vitam Aeternum
by amaris12345
Summary: Marcus Volturi was dead and bored. When she walked into his throne room, he got the surprise of a lifetime, and possibly, a second chance at love. But it will be hard to find hapiness when Bella has been betrayed by the one she tought was her mate. Now, Marcus will have to use all of his power as a Volturi ruler and as a man to win her heart and trust. Dark and Powerful Marcus.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Savage Grace is the beta for this story too, and she is just great. Thanks girl.

**Ad Vitam Aeternum***

**(Until the end of days)**

**Chapter 1**

**Isabella POV**

I stood perfectly still in the middle of that beautiful, cold, marble room, frozen to the bone due to my wet clothes, clutching Edward's cold arm for dear life. The room was crowded with vampires, and none of them seemed friendly to me. I was food after all. Alice stood by my other side, worry and concern flooding her fairy face, as she tried to see the outcome of this situation Edward had put us in.

To say that I was scared didn't even come closer to what I was feeling at the moment. I could feel their red eyes on me, staring down at me, watching every movement I made, hearing every breath I took, and listening to every beat of my heart.

Edward's arm brought me a little bit of peace in this crazy moment. It felt as if it the day dreams that had kept me company all those months after Edward had taken himself and his family from me, were finally coming true.

But strangely, despite the joy I felt concerning that he was here and he was safe - for the moment - a slight feeling of unease had settled inside of me. Inside the gaping shattered hole that had been the place of my heart. I now felt as if he wasn't all my life anymore. I had matured; the suffering he put me through had made me into a stronger person.

I still loved him, but now, I loved me too and that, in this precise moment, was making a world of difference to me.

I turned my attention back to the strange man in front of me that was now deep in thought; Aro, was his name. He was puzzled by my apparent ability of blocking his power and he had become intrigued when it was the same for all the other gifted vampires in the room. Even the little blond demon Jane's power had not worked against me; nor did Alec's, or Demetri's.

Of course these experiments were not done without the usual vampire fight. They really have a very dominant, animalistic side!

Edward, being the overprotective, volatile vampire that he is, had to show his physical displeasure to this experiments and ended up with his ass severely handed to him by Felix. Who, all the while he kept Edward in a headlock, was looking at me as if I was a prime rib, which, apparently, is what I am to the vampires - or at least my blood is.

A small and very sadistic, vengeful side of me, was feeling vindicated at seeing Edward placed in such a completely helpless position; this side of me that was angered and disgusted by his choices and was desperate to fight back – it wanted to hit the vampire boy that had caused me so much pain.

I am not saying I wasn't in love with him anymore, because I still was to some extent (and the realization of that was breathtaking); and it was difficult to see him being abused by Felix, but at the same time - well I am just a silly human teenager, something I learned to be while hanging out in Jacob and the packs company - Something I had never been with Edward, because he himself did not knew how to be one.

When Edward calmed enough to think a bit rationally he was allowed to be back at my side, where he stood during all of the experiments of the different vampires. To my utter relief, none of the Volturi's gift's worked on me, but that only increased Aro's fascination with me.

Now the room was silent. Aro had asked what he was going to do with me and become deep in thought. I build up the courage to lift my eyes from the lovely sight of my very smelly and dirty snickers.

I looked around and immediately wished to go back to contemplate the most recent dirt patch on my left foot. Jane and Alec were glaring at me, no doubt upset by the failure of their gifts on me. Too bad - but their bad luck is my good one.

Standing a little to their right were Felix and Demetri, both were looking at Edward with a smug smile on their lips, no doubt remembering the earlier fight with him.

_Boys will always be boys! _

Demetri looked at me and winked, making me blush and quickly avert my eye. Alice stood as close to my right side, as close as she possibly could, the same mask of worry on her face as Edward. Many other nameless vampires stood by the walls of the large room.

I looked up at Edward, his face the same stoic and emotionless mask as the one he had when he left me. It hurt to look at that cold face; it brought back too much pain.

I looked forward summoning all of my courage. Aro had his back to us, his hands lifted as if in a prayer.

"We must uphold the laws we created for the safety of our world. The human knows too much and it's a liability, she must not be allowed to leave our hall alive." _There we go again! Someone else wants me dead, what is new?_ Ever since I met the Cullens there seems to be a line of people wanting to eradicate me from the world. _Get in line, you can come after Victoria_, I thought to myself.

The one who spoke was a God, so beautiful it hurt. It was the only thing I could think about him. But, although he was devastatingly beautiful, I could see that his beauty was supported by a cruel and evil personality that showed on the permanent scowl he had.

He was a blond, a white platinum blond that made him almost glow. His deep red eyes contrasted with his pale complexion. He was the youngest of the brothers that was obvious. Caius was his name. He was tall, slim and transmitted the elegance and grace of a feline. Placed next to him, Edward was simply a teenage boy. He exuded power and malice. I avoided his gaze as it held nothing more than hate and malice towards us, and I did not want to be on the receiving end of that anger. He already seemed ready to pounce on us and rip us to shreds.

"I agree with Caius. The Cullens have broken the law - there must be a choice made now." Spoke a deep, smooth voice. It reminded me of the baritones from Italian operas.

_Good; and another one joins the club. I better get some tickets to organize the queue_. I really had turned in to a sarcastic person.

_Thank you Paul!_

I looked at the man who had just joined the "Let's kill Isabella Swan Club" – he was seated on the throne situated to the left - and I froze. I had looked at him briefly before, but Aro had caught my attention.

He had a bored, uninterested expression on his face but I could feel the sadness and the melancholy that radiated from him. It made my heart weep for him. Marcus was his name, I think. He seemed the oldest of the three.

He was strange. Something about him made me uneasy and afraid and something else that I could not place yet. He was not handsome in the usual meaning of the word. He could even be considered plain, borderline unattractive. He had an angular long pale face and a straight, aristocratic noise. His lips were shaped but thin. His vampire aura, however, screamed danger. He was obviously tall - much taller than Edward - and had what it seemed to be a bulky, well built body. Next to him I would look like a dwarf, or a child. Unlike the Cullens, this man and Aro were full grown men, older than any vampire I had ever seen, not teenagers or young men.

If I were to dwell on animal analogies, the blond one, Caius, looked like one of the big cats - a panther or a tiger. Aro looked like a shark, with a smile to match. But this man… this man looked like a lion. He exuded the power and the charisma of a leader, and the deadly force of a predator.

He seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties, biologically at least. I could see however, that he had the same strange papery skin as Aro - I believe that was a sign of age between the vampires, Edward once had referred to them as being thousands of years old. He was obviously strong and the hands that rested on the seats of the throne were large with long, pale fingers. The long slightly curled black hair framed his face and reached his shoulders, framing his long, stern face.

He wore the same black tailored suit that Aro did, and the same black as coal cloak as the guards, but his was much longer, allowing it to touch the ground. Around his neck shone the golden Volturi crest that everyone here seemed to wear. I could not see his eyes, because his face was looking at some point to his right, away from us, but I could bet my truck that they were bright red, if he was to look at me directly. The thought made me shiver. He scared me to death, more than any vampire and he allured me. Why?

I turned my head to see what he was looking at. Nothing. Just a white marble wall with a small window carved in it; from it, light from the sun poured inside in a long, wide beam. It was beautiful.

I sighed and I looked at him again.

And again I froze. Not because he had moved or was doing something out of the ordinary but, because the moment my head turned our eyes connected.

I have no words to describe what happened then. It was one of those experiences that could fill a whole library or be described in one word. It was dying and resurrecting; it was all and nothing; and it was everything in a microsecond of time. His red eyes were sucking my soul from my body and entrapping it inside of his own. I felt like I had lost and found myself a thousand times in a second, making me confused as to why that happened.

Even my body followed the reaction of my soul. My heart was exploding in my chest and my whole body was hot and flustered. I had no doubt that my reaction could be noticed by every single vampire in this room. Not even Edward had elicited such a reaction from me.

A sharp hiss and Edward's arms encircled my waist, pulling me flush against him, and breaking the connection that was sucking me in. I saw that he was glaring at the man and a low growl rumbled continuously in his chest.

I managed to turn my head from Edward's hard chest and looked at the men, Marcus, again. He was watching me intently, now sitting up strait in his throne, his eyes sharp and his jaw tight, and, as he saw me looking at him, a small, cold smile graced his thin shaped lips; a calculating look took hold of his regal features and I suddenly knew that something else other than my possible death was going on.

His attention to me was unnerving and I could not bear to look at him in the eyes. I was afraid of what was inside of them, of what I would see in there; silently I sent a prayer to God, to beg him to help Edward to keep his temper in check. Marcus was dangerous, very dangerous, and now I knew Edward was just a foolish young boy next to these vampires.

He stood from his throne, and keeping an eye on Edward - who's growling had been growing in volume – began to walk with the grace and power of the lion I had compared him to be, to the end of the dais. I chanced a quick glance around the room and noticed that the other vampires seemed surprised by his actions.

He took the first two steps down, his long, black as night cloak billowing around him as if announcing the wings of death. Aro swiftly walked to him – his figure a blur of movement - and reached his raised hand. I managed to hear Aro's gasp before things started to go wrong.

I don't know what went through their minds at that moment, or what Aro read in his brush of Marcus hand, or if it was the fact that he was now walking towards us, but something had been enough to push Edward over the limit. A loud piercing scream came from Alice, who stood beside us. "Edward no, you will kill us all…" and suddenly I was once again behind Edward's back as he crouched and jumped to attack a much closer Marcus.

I notice as he did not even made contact with the tall man, before he drop to the floor pain, his screams echoing in the silent room. Jane had a sick, sadistic smile on her face as she seemed focused on him.

I tried to go to Edward, to make them stop inflicting him so much pain, only to be stopped by Aro himself. His grip around my waist was almost painful and made me whimper in shock. Immediately Marcus growled and looked in my direction, his teeth bared at… Aro?

"Release her Aro." The command was evident in his voice. Aro obeyed and released me, but I was unable to reach Edward because Aro still had a grip on my arm. Alice tried to reach me but Alec grabbed her by the neck. I stood there alone, despair flooding me at the situation we were in and that Edward seemed to make worst by the second.

Marcus walked to stand in front of me, his gaze intense. I shivered at the mere sight of his presence.

"Your bond to the mind reader is strong but is not absolute - it is only a bond made by his doing and therefore you can break it. It lacks the strength of a soul mate's bond. His bond to you is, however, unchangeable and absolute. He is not your intended mate as he and the Cullens have been telling you. He has **chosen** you as his mate, and even knowing that you are not his, he tied himself to you, the foolish boy." His expression was thoughtful and by now his milky red eyes was looking between me and Edward, seeing something invisible to our eyes.

His voice was steady and deep, smooth like satin and I had to stop myself from moaning at what it did to me.

I remembered then that Carlisle had told me of Marcus power - He was able to see the relations, the intensity and nature of the bonds that connected people.

A subtle but powerful gift that made him a force to be reckon with.

His words were confusing. Edward chose me as mate? How was that? I had thought it was something instinctual and life altering...And I am not his intended mate? I love, loved? Him like I have never loved anyone before and until a little while ago I thought he was my life and my world…but my love for him was his doing?

I did not voice my thoughts, though. Why bother? Marcus was stating this as if he was telling us the state of the weather. The silence in the room now was almost deafening. I could see that no one dared to make a sound or a movement except for Edward who was panting on the floor.

"But what is not known is that all forceful bonds of this kind can be broken - by time, by fate or by the hand of man, a great crime has been committed here." All eyes were on him now.

"I am going to ask you both a question, and your answer to this question will decide your fates. Aro, release her arm please." He was looking at me straight in the eye and I just stood there mesmerized, feeling like I was the mouse and he was the snake. Not even Edward mattered anymore.

"Stay here Isabella, do not move or interfere, do you understand me?" All I could do was nod. It did not even pass through my mind to question him, to say no or to disobey him. Never Edward or any one of the Cullens had ever got this reaction of me. I had no wish to defy him at all, never.

It was effectively a good lesson on how prey and predator behave. None of the Cullens had ever managed to make me see and feel this way. These people were superior to humans, without a single doubt, and this man stood in a category all of his own.

One last searing look at me that left me trembling, and he gracefully glided - or floated - towards Edward, who was still panting on the floor while watching our exchange. As Marcus approached, Edward made to stand up and, with some difficulty, crouched down in a fighting stance, his teeth bared.

"Stand down you foolish boy, I am not here to attack you. If you do not calm yourself, you will meet your doom. We do not come to the Volturi simply to offend them, as you have already done so several times." Edward grudgingly stood from his crouch and nodded stiffly.

"My question to you is…are you going to turn her into one of us and claim her as your mate for eternity? After all, you broke the mating law for her by not letting nature take its course." Edward's eyes widened and he looked oddly surprised at Marcus statement.

If I thought the room was quiet before, that did not even come closer to what was now. I could see that more vampires had entered the room and stood by the halls, watching every move and phrase.

But what surprised me the most was how Edward's shoulders slumped and he lowered his head in defeat. It was obvious that he was dreading to answer the question.

"Answer me boy!" Marcus growled at him, making Aro glide towards Edward and grab his arm. Edward struggled to get away but a hiss from Aro made him stop.

"Yes…I…I…will." It was forced and clearly strained, but it made my heart soar. I was finally going to be one of them.

"Liar." Aro said growling low. One word. One simple word and I deflated like a balloon.

"Edward, what have you done? " Alice whispered pain clear in her voice. I could only look at Edward.

"He doesn't want to change her. He is determined to never do it, and he is trying to fool us. He simply chose her as mate for companionship, and by using his vampire skills he made her fall for him. He knows that she is not meant for him. He wants her as a human, with her soul intact and in love with him for the rest of her life and wants her to live a full human life with him by her side until she dies, and then he will find a way to follow her and finally be at peace." Aro's voice was like the bells of doom in the vast room.

He tricked me into loving him? He forced himself to be my mate?

That is just sick. Plain and simply sick!

And no one said anything? Who knew? Did the Cullens know about this? Were they accoumplices?

I needed answers and I needed them now!

**A/N - So, did you enjoy this? Tell me what you think of it.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended in this case: Twilight.

This story is beta by **Savage Grace**, who took her time to help me and my sometimes bad English. Thank you girl, for everything.

**Ad Vitam Aeternum**

**Chapter 2**

**Last Chapter**

_He tricked me into loving him? He forced himself to be my mate? _

_That is just sick. Plain and simply sick!_

_And no one said anything? Who knew? Did the Cullens know about this? Were they accomplices?_

_I needed answers and I needed them now!_

**Now**

**Isabella POV**

I felt so violated, so used. He had used his enhanced senses and beauty to dazzle me into loving him, so that he would not be alone. I suffered so much; I hurt so much; I made so many people suffer with my own pain this few months since he left, and all because he did not want to be alone? I cut myself off a normal human life, I favored his family instead of my friends and own family, I erased myself for his happiness, because I knew he needed to feel safe in my affection for him - all because of a fake feeling?

My disbelief was so great that I turned to Alice. I needed her to assure me that this wasn't true; I needed her to tell me that what I felt was true; and not a trick of dazzling vampires. I needed her to tell me that Edward had not done something so disgusting to me. I needed her to tell me that she was not aware of this. I don't know if I can live without knowing the truth now.

She turned her head my way; her eyes were shinning with venom, her face a mask of sorrow and pain.

"Did you know about this, Alice?" She shook her head violently.

"No, no, Bella, I did not know. I swear to you. I cannot speak for the others, apart from Jasper, but I don't believe they knew. He must have decided this while alone, or away from us, in a split second decision and then it was done. You know he is a bit of a loner. And we give him his distance and his solitude. You already found him beautiful and mysterious since the first day of school, and then suddenly he was mated to you and, naturally as a human you could not resist him. We thought it was natural, and we were so happy for him. I never knew this, none of us were aware; we would not have allowed it. I am so sorry, Bella, I am so sorry." She was sobbing by now, but all I felt was numbness even though I believed her. Aro moved swiftly and brushed the hand she had on mine.

"It is true, she is shocked. She never knew."He said, looking down at her.

I turned to look at Edward again and he could not meet my eyes, his head bowed in defeat. I addressed Aro.

"What does this forced mating mean?"

"It is possible for a male vampire **to choose** to mate with a human woman. It is called the "_reclusione di un'anima"_ – the imprisonment of a soul: you may see it a very hard and powerful version of dazzling." At my wide eyes his lips twitched in a half smile that did not reached his eyes.

"You see Isabella dear; mating is a very serious and permanent thing for a vampire. We can say that it equals blood in the scale of our needs. If a male vampire is desperate and has both a powerful self discipline and control, he will be able to make it happen, and by doing so breaking one of our most sacred laws. There are conditions though; the female must always be human, and the relation must never be consummated physically in any way." He looked at me meaningfully and I felt myself blushing hard.

"With this kind of bond, if consummated, the male cannot stop himself of biting the human and pumping as much of his venom as he can into her changing her into a vampire. It is compelling for the male. Maybe it is nature's way of making things right. Carlisle studied this subject thoroughly about two centuries ago. It is something that only happens with this situation. In all other cases vampires can have sex freely with humans without turning them." It figures, he must have learned about this somewhere. _Wait! No sex? Never? Fuck!_

"The "_reclusione di un'anima"_ is not something a normal vampire would do or even think about. Not only because this type of bond is unnatural and cruel, but because it is not meant to be. It is a great crime against our laws. Once the female becomes a vampire, she will immediately break the forced bond; her instincts will not allow the male to touch her intimately, and she will push him away. The male that committed the "_reclusione di un'anima" _however_, _will not be able to bond with another female again, even if he finds his true mate. Obviously, only a fool would do such a thing; it exerts so much effort and will of his soul that he will not be able to mate or love again." Once again I had no words to say to Aro as he looked at me with pity in his eyes. He continued.

"While the woman is human, to be free of the "_reclusione di un'anima"_ she must gather all of her strength to resist him and his ways. It takes time and it is a daily struggle for the woman because the vampire is the human's reason to live. It really is a testament to her strength and the strength of her character for her to break from the vampire. Until now it has never been done. You are not being influenced by him, right now, because Renata, our shield is temporarily shielding you from his compelling bond to you. If she stops, you will slowly fall back into the bond again, and you will lose your ability to think clearly." I was feeling dizzy; it was too much, too much information.

It explained so much of Edward's behavior.

His excessive protectiveness of me;

His adamant refusal in teaching me all that was vampire traditions and laws;

It explained why I could never stand up for myself or for what I wanted;

His absolute refusal in changing me;

His refusal to allow us to become intimate;

It explained why I always felt that what we had was not real, that I was not good enough for him, that I was not worthy of him. It explained my own feelings of awe at how fast and overwhelming our relation had developed. Oh, God, it was all a lie! A fabrication! He had made of me a toy, a mindless toy, eager to please him.

I could not hold the bile that was coming up my throat and I bend over to retch the meager contents of my stomach onto the cold, beautiful marble floor. I felt a cold hand on my forehead, and cold arms supported me as my legs gave up on me; a wonderful smell of green and wet forest washed over me making my mouth water - so unlike Edwards almost sickly sweet one. I saw an unknown guard walk in with a bucket and a mop and in seconds all was clean. If I was not feeling so sick I would be embarrassed.

Well, I can be that later. I managed to look at the person holding me. It was Marcus. _Great, just great!_

I took a deep breath and, testing the strength of my legs, moved away from him. I turned to Edward.

"Why?" It was all I could say. I wanted to know why he played with my life like that; why he had played with his own life like that - With his heart and with his own eternity!

He did not answer. I did not have to have Jasper's power to feel the emotions in this room: anger, shock, resentment, incredulity, shame. I just stared at him, anger boiling inside of me at his lack of response.

"ANSWER ME, GOD DAMN IT." I screeched at him. It must have been loud enough for his acute senses because he flinched.

I don't know how much time had passed since I stood there, looking at Edward. My body is however much too aware of Marcus presence behind me, electrifying me, making me shiver and my cells to hum in awareness and something else that I cannot identify. It is becoming almost physically painful to not turn around and touch him. I concentrate my whole mind on Edward, in an effort to stop these unwanted feelings. Then I heard a whisper:

"I…I was alone. They were all mated and all I had was my music." He stopped talking and walked to stand in front of me, making Marcus growl and stand by my side, close, very close to my body. And it was enough to make me lose my line of thought.

"Do you know how difficult it is to hear their love and happiness? To see it every single day, every moment and have nothing like that to myself? Being told again and again to wait, that it will happen for me too, but it never comes?" His eyes were boring into mine, begging me to believe and understand the monstrosity he had done to me.

"Then you came to Forks. When I saw you I wanted to drain you dry. But I did not want to be that monster and decided to see you as a person, not food." At this Marcus growl was louder than before making Edward step back slightly while baring his teeth in a snarl that quickly died at Marcus glare.

Marcus hand landed on my shoulder and I shivered at the contact. It was electrifying. It was intoxicating. It was similar, but a million times more powerful than what I had felt with Edward when we first started dating. Edward's eyes followed Marcus hand as it lay on my shoulder, his eyes flashing with anger, jealousy and hate. I could only look at the boy I love…no…I must not say love anymore, all of this was too much. I had been hurt by him so many times and this, this thing he had done to me, was the end. I had loved him so much and for so long and hear how he had betrayed me as a human being, as a person was too much to bare. It had all been a lie.

"I found that you were silent, and you smelled so good, and you were so beautiful, gentle, kind, and selfless, that I thought you were all I wanted in a woman. And I did not want to be alone anymore; I wanted to have what my brothers had. I fell in love with you, I really did, and that is why I did what I did. And then you fell in love with me, and you were mine; and you were submissive to me as a good mate always is." Now, his eyes held hope, as if his confession had the power to make everything alright, a small smiled gracing his lips.

_What? Submissive? What the fuck? Only In your dreams._

I am not one for swearing, but in this case it was all I could think off.

"How did you do it?" Caius voice was hard as steel as he interrupted the beginning of my furious retort to the submissive part of his speech.

He looked at Caius, then at me and sighed, his eyes on the ground.

"I have read all of Carlisle's journals and studies; he often asks me to help him in his researches. I was aware of this possibility, and…" He stopped to look at me, his eyes vacant seemingly lost in a memory.

"And…"Caius steel voice sounded like a whip.

He jumped slightly before continuing.

"It was not difficult, Bella is human and she was already entranced by my looks. I just approached her and using what she calls the dazzling and our vampire scent. I forced my will to bond with her soul. She showed no resistance to me or my skills and in a matter of hours she was mine; her own human reactions mirrored my own. I felt the mating pull to her immediately afterward. My bloodlust for her was immediately subdued as she had become my mate, I could not hurt her. The only issues remaining for me were in wooing her and controlling my need to mate."

"Were you aware that this dazzling, as you called it was against the law?"

"No, I mean Carlisle had noted that it was dangerous and almost never used, but that was more than a hundred years ago." He shrugged his shoulders and I could not speak at his carelessness. IT WAS MY LIFE, MY CHOICES!

"We are diverting, all those questions will be dealt later. The Cullens must be summoned to Volterra to answer the accusations of breach of secrecy and to testify on the boy's trial. As for Isabella she is forfeit for them and he lost any right to her." Marcus spoke from behind me, his hand tightening on my shoulder, his voice deadly with an undertone of finality.

Edward immediately snarled and went down to crouch. Quick as lightning Caius had his hand wrapped around his throat.

"Our decision is final boy. The Volturi think as one." Aro said his tone shilling in the already cold and now dark room, it must be night already. _How long have we been in here?_

"No…please, she is mine…I love her…but you have to understand - she has a soul. By turning her into one of us, we will destroy her immortal soul. We cannot do it. No…I will not allow it…We cannot condemn her to this life…let me take her away, we will go into seclusion and she will keep her promise, I will stand with her until she dies, and she will not be in contact with any other humans." _What the fuck?_

"YOU DO NOT MAKE ANYMORE CHOICES FOR ME!" I screamed at him from the bottom of my lungs. How dare he? He had left me like if I was a forgotten, old shoe and now he wants me back? He lied to me. He used his vampire skills to lure me into fall in love with him. He made all the decisions for us both and my opinion was never heard or taken into consideration. I was constantly treated like a child. I never had any kind of intimacy as he behaved with me as if he was frigid. And again he lied to me about the why that happened. _MY GOD! I have been so blind, so stupid!_

"It is too late, Cullen. Now we have to decide what to do with her. She will leave this room dead, or turned. There are no other options." Caius said, still holding a struggling Edward. A small part of me noticed that even if Edward seemed stronger than Caius, he was not. Caius had him in a death grip without any effort, while Edward tried with all his might to escape. Maybe the diet had something to do with it? I looked at Alice. She looked as lost as I was, trying to take in all that was happening, but from her face she was not coming to a conclusion.

A whimpering sound left my mouth, turning to a sob and then to a scream that ended in hysterical laugh, making the vampires in the room - which now was alight with soft, invisible lights coming from the walls - look at me as if I had lost my mind. I had not lost it. No. Not at all, it was all now so clear to me.

I had only come to a conclusion. An epiphany if you would like.

My life was a joke. I had had a life before coming to Forks. It was not a great one, but it was a good life and had been mine. My choice.

When I arrived in Forks, everything became extreme. Extreme happiness and extreme sorrow; and I felt like I was living in an emotional roller coaster. But through the good and the bad times it was still my life. Even if little by little I had lost myself.

When Edward left, my world ended. My soul felt empty and my heart had been swallowed whole by the hole in my chest. How much of that pain was because of his imprisonment of my soul, as they called it? A lot, I think. I mean I just lost the will to live and behaved like a zombie. I had seen other break ups, and no one was like me. But even if in a fleeting moment I had thought that death would be good for me, I had thought better. I wanted to live, to be happy. My choice to live or die should have been mine.

But now…again because of Edward, not even my own death was my choice anymore. He had taken everything from me.

Not anymore. It is time to get back what I have lost. Starting with my own life.

"I don't want to die." I said softly, to no one in particular. It was true, I never did. I am too young to die. Even after all the heartbreak I went through because of Edward, I never thought about taking my life. Everyone turned to look at me.

"I said I don't want to die. I want to live." I spoke louder this time.

Before I could hear the answer from the vampire rulers my world came to an end. Just as my words left my mouth many things happened at the same time, but my human mind and senses were too slow for me to comprehend what was happening in front of me.

I heard Alice's gasp "Stop Edward…."

I heard Edward's growl turn into a roar and saw venom drip from his mouth in large quantities. It was quite a disgusting sight. For the first time I saw him as the vampire he was. He crouched and lunged for Marcus throat.

I heard an answering roar that literally shook the whole room, and I felt cold hands grab me, lift me up in the air and move me at an incredible speed; the world swirled around me, making me so dizzy that I felt that I was going to faint. It took all I had to remain conscious as I supported myself on the nearest hard surface in front of me. The growls and snarls in the room went on for several minutes, and the noise of thunder, growling and fighting, helped me to keep focused and to not lose it.

When my eyes were able to focus again I noticed that I was standing behind the middle throne, with Aro crouching protectively in front it.

Alice was not far from me, standing still with Alec's hand around her throat. Edward was sprawled on the floor in the middle of the room, panting, and had an arm missing. His clothes were thorn and ripped out in several places and I could see that his neck and body held several bite marks that leaked a clear, almost transparent bluish liquid. Venom I think. A deep gash runs from his ear to his lower lip, and I just knew that it would leave a nasty scar. Pain was clearly etched on his face and body.

Marcus was on top of him, his Volturi cloak on the floor and his clothes a bit wrinkled, and I knew then that he had been the one to fight Edward. I saw that he had a black costume suit and a black turtleneck. A small corner of my mind told me that he looked so manly and the teenager in me asked what could be under that suit. I had to mentally scold myself for having these types of thoughts in a time like this.

His foot was stepping down on Edward's neck, holding him on the floor. I have never seen anything so powerful. A shiver ran through me and I had to swallow hard at the sight he was offering.

I could feel the power and the strength coming from him, radiating to everyone in this room.

Deep within my bones I could feel the intensity of his gaze at his defeated adversary.

My heart almost stopped at the sight of his sheer masculinity. He, all of him, made me weak in the knees.

His posture screamed danger and victory. His hands were on his hips and I had to stop myself from thinking about how long and strong his fingers were. His head was lowered but still holding the regal posture that left me breathless, looking down in hatred to the crumpled, wounded body at his feet. A movement on the floor to my right made me do a double take. Edward's arm was trying probably to get back to him, and Demetri was stepping on it to keep it from moving. It was a bit creepy to see the finger's twitching.

A whimpering noise coming from a once loved voice broke my morbid observation of the severed limb.

"Oh…Bella, I am so sorry." If a voice could cry, it would be crying me a river of tears.

I looked at Edward and my heart broke a little more. As much as I was mad at him, and as much as I had been hurt by him, I still meant him no harm. He was just lost, envious, foolish and young. He just made the mistakes proper of his youth - even if he was more than a hundred years old and thought that he knew everything.

All I wanted is to live. Why can't he just accept it and let go? It is my choice, it is my life. Is it really so hard to accept? Why does he have to fight against all that I want?

A sob came out from my throat and I felt cold arms encircle me. Alice was holding me tight, trying to comfort me. They had released her. Marcus head snapped up to look at me, the same smoldering gaze that made me look away, unable to stand it. As I locked eyes with Edward I knew it was over for us, I did not know why but the expression of his face told me that he had done something irreparable, that would cost me - or us everything. These people were not to be trifled with or challenged.

I looked at Alice, in alarm, and her sobbing only increased as I pleaded with my eyes for her to understand my choice.

"I am sorry…" I said to her.

She just nodded. I straightened myself, took a deep breath and getting out of her embrace, I addressed the room.

"I believe that I am the one who has to make a choice here, no?"

And I felt all heads turn towards me. I made the mistake of locking eyes with Marcus, and again I become entrapped by his power, feeling boneless. What was this reaction from my body to him?

He stood tall and intense. Not at all bothered or disturbed by his confrontation with Edward. His eyes narrowed in my direction as I flushed all kinds of red and my heart skipped a beat.

I decided not to be deterred from my defense of my life.

"I believe that I can have a choice here. No?" I spoke loudly and I only hoped that my voice was steady enough to make me look credible.

"You are human, talented or not, that is what you are. By definition your condition is inferior. What kind of choice can you make; when it is clear to us that you know nothing about vampires, even if you have been mixing with them for the last few months?" It was Caius that spoke, his voice laced - as always - with the same steel and disdain.

He will not scare me into being mute, even though I am trembling.

"I know enough to know that I have to be turned or killed. I am human, not stupid. I know that the Cullens did not teach me many things about vampires but I know that I do not want to die. I am only eighteen years old; I am not ready to die. I have so many things to live and experiment. I know that I want to be turned and I know you have the power and the restraint to do it. This must be my choice, not Edward's or yours. Damn - we are not even together anymore. Why does he get to decide for me?"

I was angry now. Why was I not allowed to chose, to decide? They had already taken everything from me. All I had left was my body and my head. Even my heart had been stolen. I knew it would be difficult to get back with Edward knowing all that I knew now, and if what Aro had told me was true. But I could still have the other Cullens. We could be family and live together. I know I will never leave this room alive, so better get this thing over with. _Fuck._

Aro smiled genially at me. And again I saw the shark, the predator in that smile. It made me shiver and not in a good way. Something told me that I was not going to like what he was going to say.

"You really do have a point. You really are not stupid. Only human. Even though I cannot read your mind, I know that you are thinking of going to live with the Cullen's once you are turned. I am afraid that that is not going to be possible." His smile if possible only got wider.

I felt my courage falter. Something had happened.

"Why not? It is what you want and what I want. I am turned and no longer pose a threat to your secret. I get my eternity with a family that I love. It is a win/ win deal."

"Ah, my dear, if only everything in life or death was so simple. But, alas, it is not. You see young one, a claim has been made on you. A challenge was issued and the winner is a Volturi."

_Wha…What? When? Who_? My heart stopped and a horrible feeling installed on my stomach as I remembered the fight between Edward and Marcus. _Oh God._

My face must have shown my feelings because then I heard a deep, strong voice that made me shiver. I looked up into two narrowed intense, burgundy eyes. _Marcus_.

"You are mine now. I won the challenge made by this boy for you. He bet you and he lost you. Now you will stay here, as my Isabella for as long as I wish." He smirked at me, an evil smile spreading in his lips, and showing immaculate teeth. I panicked.

"No…I can't…I am not a thing…I am a person. I don't belong to Edward for him to …I am not a thing." I was grasping at straws, wildly looking from one to another. Beside me, I felt Alice sliding to the floor her face in her hands. Was she crying for me? I don't know.

"It is too late for all that reasoning. You are mine now. He knew the rules as well as any of us. He knew what he was doing when he attacked. He knew what was at stake. Had he stayed quiet and silent; your question would have been analyzed and answered. We would then ask you when you wanted to be turned and one of us would have been chosen to change you. You might even have walked away free with the Cullens if you did not wanted to live with us, after your newborn year."

_What have you done Edward?_

_Oh, my dear God, help me_.

Marcus just continued, relentless, destroying my life and hopes and shattering my dream of freedom.

"But he could not control his temper and anger at our thoughts. You would be a valuable addition to our house, and I personally would like to know you at a much deeper and personal level. He knew that engaging me into a fight for a female, would make that female the eternal property of the winner. He is aware of the law. It is older than time itself. He bet and lost. You are mine. Make your peace with it, because I never let go of what is mine." I swallowed, frightened at the implications of what he had said. My breath was coming in pants, and the room was trembling in front of my eyes. I was finding more and more difficult to find air to breathe.

He was looking at me with hard eyes, challenging me to say something. I couldn't. I had no words anymore and I had no will to say no to Marcus. He just had the power to take it away from me. Black spots were clouding my vision and I felt my legs gave in below me.

"I will take very good care of you, **my** Isabella." Was the last thing I heard, full of innuendos, before darkness claimed me as hers and the world was no more.

A/N Sooo, did you enjoy it?

**What do you think about what Edward did to Bella? **

**And what do you think about Marcus attitude in all of this? **

**Can Isabella fall again in Edward's power? Tell me what you think. Leave a review.**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story is beta by **Savage Grace**. Thank you sweetie.

**Ad Vitam Aeternum**

**Chapter 3**

**Isabella POV**

The first thing I felt as I awoke from the darkness that had engulfed me was softness and comfort. _I could lie in here forever_, I thought for a fleeting moment. As I opened my eyes I was met with an unknown room softly lit in a dim intimate light, and even though the light was soft it sent a painful stab of pain behind my eyes. My head was hurting and as I turned to the closest source of light and the probable source of the piercing pain that travelled through my eyes. It was a golden lamp sitting on the bed side table. I shut it off quickly and closed my eyes with a groan as the memories of what had happened a while ago came flooding back to me.

Edward had tricked me into loving him. I was not his mate, I never was. Foolishly he had let his temper get the best of him while in a dangerous situation. He had interfered in my decision of becoming a vampire by defying Marcus to a fight for my ownership, according to their vampire laws. Marcus had won and now I belonged to him.

_Oh, my God_. He said that he would like to get to know me more intimately. _What is he going to do to me?_

I don't know what to do or what to think about Marcus. According to what I have learned he owned me now. No one could contest that. It was vampire law. I could not even wrap my head around that. It was a nightmare. I am not a thing to be owned! Slavery ended a long time ago, thank god - at least in the human world. I now had my life in his hands, thanks to Edward's lack of control. Another

He was so intense and so powerful. His presence was so imposing and so manly, so different of all the vampires that I had known. I needed someone to explain to me what my reaction to him was, but I had no one, even Alice was gone. It sufficed his presence to make me weak on my knees and all I want to do is please him.

I stopped myself short with this train of thought.

I don't need this kind of thing now. I really don't. Not after what Edward has done to me. And I do not need to feel anything more than hate, contempt and disgust for these Volturi monsters. I saw their red eyes well. Savages all of them, even Marcus. Monsters of the worst kind like Edward always said. Yes, hate and contempt is a good way to survive. Maybe they will let me go if I hate them enough.

Edward…the hole in my chest was vibrating with need and love for him, even after all of this. But knowing why it hurt so much more…Could we move on after this? I refused to acknowledge the answer of my head for as long as I could until it exploded. _It is over_, no matter how much the knowledge hurts me it is over. I will never trust him again.

I will be stuck loving him until I manage to get the strength and the knowledge necessary to fight it off. It has been seven months since he left me and my heart is still bound to him. I could not let anyone in. I have been blind, unable to love another man again. No matter how hard Jake or Mike tried.

Was this going to be my life until I become immortal? Lonely and pinning and hurting for a man who had hurt me and played me?

And afterwards, when I am turned?

Am I condemned walking this earth alone? Because it seemed that I will not allow Edward to come near me once I am turned into a vampire as he is not my mate. I cannot see myself loving any of the Volturi, they are monsters. And I cannot see myself living with them in here. This place looks and smells like death!

I want to live with the Cullens if the Volturi release me, but I know that having Edward there will make everything much more difficult. After all he has bound himself to me. I can break free from this but he can't. Knowing his temper and stubbornness I know he will never let me go. So if I ever found my soul mate he will lose his head and will certainly cause problems.

Aro said that I could fight this "_reclusione di un'anima" _that Edward imposed on me_,_ but how do I fight it? How do I do it? When Edward is my everything, my whole life?

Tears pooled in my eyes, but I refused to acknowledge them. I won't spill another tear for you Edward Cullen! You have done enough damage to me with your poor temper and stubborn, know it all attitude.

I willed the tears away and stilled my determination.

I cannot think of this any longer, I have to survive and live one day at the time. I must do what Charlie used to say to me: turn a bad situation into your advantage. I have to keep my head strong and I have to think of what is the better way to deal with the Volturi. I know violence and rebellion will lead me nowhere.

I wish Alice is here to help me, or just to hold me.

I must survive if I ever want to get back and see Charlie or Jake again. I must not panic because I can only count on me now. I must do whatever I can in order to stay alive and well, even if I am going to be a vampire. For the one I love I have to survive. They too were victims of the selfish behavior of Edward Cullen. The pain in my heart doubled when I think of these two.

I never gave Jacob the change to return his love and devotion. I have been too wrapped up in Edward and his love. Even after he left me, I was too blind to see beyond his vampire looks or the fact that he wanted me; plain old me. And I never expressed how much I loved my father and how important he was to me. I never said thanks for his patience or his little tokens of affection when I was in my depression.

And now I may never have the chance to tell him how much he means to me. I have left him alone in my foolishness when all he did was to love me and try to be a good father. I left him just like my mother did. The guilt and the sorrow brought a whole new wave of tears to my eyes, and these ones I just let them fall. I could never have enough tears to shed for my behavior towards the both of them.

I sighed when my sobs calmed down. I wish Jasper was here. His calming influence would be welcome. But he too was lost to me.

I opened my eyes now that the piercing pain behind my eyes was gone. I was met with a vision coming straight from a dream or an historic novel. I looked up and I could see the stars. The room had a crystal, transparent dome serving as a roof. Heavy burgundy velvet drapes draped in soft waves in each side of the dome were ready to cover it like a fake roof when needed; I followed the golden string that controlled the entire ensemble until its end. It was placed near the fireplace. Dawn was coming and a faint bluish clarity was already breaking through the veil of night. The effect was absolutely breathtaking.

With difficulty I tore my eyes from the night sky. I was met with a sea of burgundy and gold. I was also very much alone. Not that I expect otherwise. But it would be good to see at least Alice in here. I guess they are having their own problems to deal with. I can only hope and wish for them to be alright. I cannot think about them now. I must focus.

The room was huge, circular. A curly delicate metal stair wounded itself all around the room going upwards until it reached the crystal ceiling. There should exist an opening in there. The shape of the room made me think that we were in one of the circular towers of the Volterra castle. There were no other windows in the room aside from the roof. The walls were a deep burgundy color that matched perfectly the linen of the furniture scattered around the room. It was a sea of deep burgundy and gold. No other color could be seen.

The other lamp in the room was placed beside a beautiful golden desk whose legs were carved lions, and it gave enough light for me to look around. A comfortable looking chair completed the ensemble lined with velvet the same color as the walls. The room was fit for a king to live in and it was huge. I believe Louis XIV could have been happy in this room. I got up from the bed to take a look around.

A matching velvet canapé set with two love seats was placed facing the fireplace, completed with a beautiful chaise long. The wall next to the desk was covered from top to bottom with books. Thousands of books of all kinds and sizes. Some looked old and some brand new. My fingers itched to see what they were about.

The bed was huge. A four poster bed not king size but maybe bigger.

I had never seen a bed this big. The head board was golden and huge carved with romantic scenes. I could see that it pictured a forest and there were several naked couples intertwined on the forest floor seemingly making love. The images depicted were deeply erotic but very elegant at the same time and I felt the blush creep into my face.

The end of the bed had two golden carved lions serving as its legs. It was amazing and I could see it was an antique. On each side of the bed stood a match of two beautiful and elegant golden bed side tables.

The linens that dressed the bed matched the colors of the rest of the room. The pillows were the same overwhelming deep burgundy embroidered with golden thread. I could see the letters M V and a shield of arms of some kind picturing a lion in attack position one claw up ready to shred.

_Oh my good Lord. Is this….It must be…It must be his room. Marcus room,_ I thought breathless.

I had to get out of here.

I saw a door on my left and went inside. I stood flabbergasted. It was a bathroom. But a bathroom like I had never seen or even dreamed it existed. The lights lit when I entered the room and I was surrounded by heaven. Everything was white marble and gold. The biggest bathtub in the world stood at the end of the room. A mirror wall covered the bathing part and the bathtub had a fountain - a full-sized lion, whose head was lowered as if he was drinking and that was currently filling the tub with hot water coming from the its jaws. Next to its head were several bathing products.

A double lavatory stood in front of me. I did not see any woman's products in there. A sophisticated looking toilet stood by my right. And a thing that I had seen only in history books, a bidé. I knew what it was for. It was used to wash your intimate parts when you went to the toilet. It looked sophisticated too, the same as the toilet, with lots of buttons in the panel on the wall.

I don't know how long I stayed in there, mouth agape looking in wonder at this bathroom. After some minutes the tub was filled and the water stopped. Soft music started coming from somewhere. I recognized Vivaldi. I looked at the wall beside the door and I could see racks of white linen, towels and bathrobes.

I stepped outside and from where I stood I could see another door. I opened it and was immediately rewarded with a soft light. They must have installed movement sensors everywhere in this castle.

It was another room though a bit smaller than the master bedroom, with a huge window. I went to look and it faced the main Volterra square. The dim lights of morning showed me that the town had not awakened yet.

On the huge queen bed laid a big red box and another much smaller box lying beside the first one. I went to the bed and picked up an envelope addressed to me. I opened it and I was immediately flooded with the marvelous earthy scent of green and wet forest as I looked at the wonderful antique but elegant writing.

_Good morning Isabella formerly known as Swan and now Volturi._

_Please take a bath and wear the contents of both boxes for the day. A meal will be served to you at 8.00 o clock by someone trustworthy. I advise you to eat it. You will need the strength. Do not leave the master bedroom. I will be picking you up at 8.15 to take you to the throne room. It is in your best interest to be ready and to obey my orders. Important decisions must be made._

_Marcus Volturi_

I stood there looking at the note for a long time.

So it begins - a life time of being ordered around. _You must comply. You need to survive._ I could see the subtle threat in his words. My small, inner voice reminded me to swallow my pride and my rebellious ways. This was Marcus Volturi, a king between monsters and I had seen that he was not a man to be trifled with.

I picked up the smaller box. It was a beautiful silver wrist watch and it marked 6.30. I took a deep breath and opened the bigger box to reveal a beautiful summer red dress with short sleeves and a body that hugged my torso. The princess neckline had a small white bow on the side above my left breast. The slightly round skirt went just bellow my knees. On the side there were some white low heel elegant shoes of the exact same color with a little red bow on the side.

The ensemble was simply beautiful, and I had no doubts that it suited me perfectly.

A small bag accompanied it and I blushed when I saw what it was. _Lingerie - white see through lingerie_. I blushed deeper and shivered at the look of it. Beautiful but oh, my. It was the kind of thing that one would wear on her wedding night and not at all what I was used to.

I looked around the room again. Everything was white. The large bed had a white canopy made ofwhat looked like the finest transparent chiffon that gave it a fairy tale look. This was definitely a woman's room. And a romantic one by the looks of it.

The four posters were carved all around with wild flowers, painted in their original colors. It was a vision of the room of a princess or a queen. The rest of the furniture matched the bed.

On top of the pale rose marble fireplace stood a bust; it was a woman, beautiful with perfect features - so perfect that she had to be a vampire. If not for the paleness of the white marble, the sculpture was so beautiful that it seemed alive. Her lips were slightly lifted in a beautiful, mysterious smile and that smile lighted her whole face. Her hair style looked ancient, somewhat roman, if I remember my history books correctly. I looked at the woman and she radiated happiness and love.

All around the base of the bust there were letters. From what I could understand it seemed to be Latin.

**Vobis meus Didyme Vultur vos es eternus mei***

I wonder who this woman was and what the phrase meant. I never learnt Latin.

_Was she his daughter? His wife? _

The thought of this beautiful woman being Marcus wife twisted my gut in a way that made me catch myself. I don't need this shit. I had no reason to feel uncomfortable and no reason at all to feel jealous.

_She was a sister maybe_? I thought, frantic to tell myself that she was not his wife. Whoever she was it was clear that she was very much loved and well taken care and this room was proof of that. She seemed to be a Volturi; I could recognize the name even in its ancient form. How old was he?

The room was exquisite and looked old. It was however perfectly restored in an almost sanctuary way and had the same regal look about it as the main bedroom. It was however strange that there was no other door. The only way in and out of this bedroom was through the master bedroom. Weird.

I thought it was better to leave the room before its owner came back. It would not bode well for me to dwell in here any longer, even if my clothes had been placed in here. I had my orders as much as that sickens me. And I felt myself shiver at the thought of that. I needed to gather my thoughts and I picked up my boxes, walking out of the bed room and closing the door behind me. I laid my packages down on the bed in the master bedroom and went to the bathroom.

After taking care of my human moments as Edward used to call them, I decided to go take my bath; it would help me calm down and help me face what the day would bring. I had to stay alert, focused and I had to survive. I need to turn this bad situation into my advantage.

The bathtub must be intelligent because was still filled and the water was deliciously warm. I took off my clothes and went inside. As soon as I was seated I felt the water moving and softly massaging my body. It had an invisible hydro massaging system. I was in heaven and with the soft music playing and all that had happened I did not wanted to get out, ever again. I _could get used to this, _I thought to myself as the soft jets of water worked their magic on my body.

The sensation was exquisite. Even the Cullens had not this kind of luxury in their house. The whole bedroom and bathroom spoke of immense power and wealth. Of time, taste and elegance acquired over hundreds or even thousands of years. It spoke of old money and royalty and privilege. That I was allowed to partake in this even if it was for a few hours was unfathomable to me.

I am sure this is not the way I will be treated once I am alone in here. I may have a room in the attic or in the cellars and I will be lucky if I am allowed to use a community toilet with a cold shower. Edward and Carlisle used to tell me how much the Volturi hated and despised the human race, and they have known them for a long time, I am sure that they will not provide me with a life of luxury, most probably the inverse. I shuddered at the thought. _Do not think about that, live a day at the time, _I scolded myself.

I let myself relax in the bathtub. I took a sponge that was already foamy and let it wash the almost three days of salt water, sweat and dirty from my body. I closed my eyes and let my mind drift as the sponge created the most wonderful sensations on my body. The beautiful, entrancing music, the warm water, the amazingly soft sponge and the wonderful scent lingering in here were making me feel all hot and bothered and not knowing way. I felt like I was intoxicated in the most delicious manner.

Without thought my hand touched my skin, caressing lightly only to have the wonderful feeling increase ten folds. Suddenly Marcus appeared behind my close lids. I wanted to change the image back to Edward but I couldn't. Marcus just stayed behind my lids looking at me as I touched myself intimately, his gaze as intense and domineering as it had been when he apperceived my presence, edging me on.

I was locked on his image, on his intensity and obvious passion. He was all man, a man that my body craved for. It wanted nothing more than to be him, his hands and mouth and body that was bringing me so much pleasure. I wanted, needed, and craved him.

I was lost in my thoughts of him loving me, covering my body with his and taking me as his woman anyway he wanted. I could not even think of someone else taking my body and virginity at this time, and Edward just disappeared of my mind and of my heart. Marcus was all I could think as the wonderful sensation of my pleasure ripped through me.

My legs assumed control of my body as they lifted my body completely from the water with the spasms of pleasure, all my body and muscles clenching and making me almost see stars. I knew that I was moaning Marcus name loudly but I couldn't care less. Wave after wave of pleasure racked through me, making me shake with its intensity, until the worst subsided and I sunk once again in the water.

I had pleasured myself a few times in the past when I was with Edward. Hell, he wouldn't touch me or do anything more than chaste closed mouth kisses and I am a woman. _Well, you now know why he could not have sex or intimacy, don't you? _I thought bitterly.

But never, ever had my pleasure been as powerful and mind blowing as this one.

I came down slowly from my high, my body shuddering at the intensity of my release.

Immediately I wanted to beat myself. I was in a life threatening situation. I had been bet and lost by my supposed love and handed as a thing to be owned to a bunch of monsters. I was a simple human dealing and meddling in immortal affairs. I was supposed to be madly in love with Edward, a bastard that had manipulated my feelings and crushed my heart. I was going to meet my fate in a few hours and here I was climaxing while imagining Marcus Volturi, _**my owner**_ watching me pleasuring myself.

I don't know if I must retch or kill myself.

What was this man, _no, not man, this monster_ - this evil, unattractive, old vampire doing to me?

I had to stop this foolishness. I must not think about men. I must think of me. For the first time in my life I have to think about me.

I used the wonderful shower gel that was in there to wash my hair and body, it smelled of green and it was fresh and with a sudden jolt I understood that it was part of Marcus scent. The knowledge sent another frisson of desire through my whole body. I was using the same thing as he did. I will smell a little like him today. Suddenly it was too hot in here. I jumped up and hastily washed the rest of the foam from my body and hair.

I got out of the bathtub and immediately I started to dry and comb my hair. Once it was done I wrapped a white towel around me and stepped inside the bedroom.

My old clothes were filthy and as I thought to just get over it and put them on, my conscience told me better, _don't anger him, you need to survive and gain your freedom eventually_. I picked up the lingerie and put it on. I fumbled with the transparent collants and the garters but after a few minutes I managed to do it right.

Thankfully the corset was tied up front, otherwise I would need some help and I wanted to ask nothing from these monsters. I then put the dress on, finishing with the beautiful wrist watch. It was 8.00 o'clock. According to the note someone should come at any moment. I went to the bathroom to look at me.

It was not me!

Staring back at me was a woman.

She had my face, my figure and my hair. She had my eyes and my nose. But she was not me. This image showed a beautiful woman clad in blood red and white. Her hair was naturally falling around her in soft waves.

The dress hugged her body in a tight fit and gave her a figure that I never thought to have. She had a thin waist, cleavage and seemed elegant and graceful. She was a vision, and she was not me. It couldn't be!

A soft knock on the door brought me from my contemplation of the stranger in the mirror. I walked out only to be met by Jane clad in her trade mark black cloak.

She had a smirk on her face as she laid down a tray on the small table facing the chaise long. She looked at me as she inhaled deeply and her smirk widened. I decided it was best not to ask what that was about.

"Good morning Jane." I better start to get to know someone. Eternity is a long time to talk to no one, and she could be useful, maybe. If I manage to live that long!

"Good morning Isabella. It is good to see that you have obeyed your orders. Here is your breakfast. Your master will come for you in fifteen minutes. Please eat and be ready." _My master?_ Only on the in the Volturi's mind. Better play along with them.

"Thank you Jane." She nodded and glided to the door. I needed some answers from her. Where were Alice and Edward? Were they okay? What was going to happen today?

"Jane?" She turned around with a lifted brow.

"Yes?"

"What is going to happen? Are the Cullens alright?" She sighed. She was really young and serious. She must have been sixteen or less when she was turned. I wonder what her story is and why she never smiles. A monster from hell with an innocent face, Edward had once described her. Would he one day describe me like that?

"I am sorry, but it is better if you ask that to Master Marcus. I was only told to bring you breakfast and help you get dressed if you needed. I can tell you something though. You are not in danger and the Cullens are alive. You belong to Master Marcus, and if you obey him and behave he will be a good Master to you." She turned and left.

Well, back to square one. No answers. At least Alice and Edward were still alive. I felt myself almost buckle with relief. The smell coming from the trey made me feel so hungry. It has been almost three days since I last eat. Or I thought about it.

I sat in front of a deliciously warm meal served in the most wonderful china I had ever seen. The Volturi crest was painted everywhere. I had a plate of fresh apples, pears and oranges already sliced. A small bowl had what it seemed like natural yogurt, and a small pot of honey stayed at the side. A cup had hot coffee and a small teapot had milk. A plate on the side had 2 well buttered slices of bread and another one had 3 slices of a white cheese unknown to me.

The spoons and forks were heavy and seemed like they were made of pure silver engraved on the top with the Volturi crest.

Again I was met with the ostentatious but elegant luxury that seemed to be the Volturi way.

Finally it seemed that the events of yesterday were catching up to me as dread and panic settled down inside of me making me lose my appetite. It was all I could do to hold myself together. I took some deep breaths and my stomach growled loudly, wanting the deliciously smelling food. I decided to just comply. I had to stay strong.

_Eat slowly Bella. Keep your strength. Focus on your battle. Focus on staying alive and not getting hurt._

It was not difficult to clean up the plates. Everything was delicious. Sure it was different from an American breakfast, but it seemed more balanced and natural. I did not feel full but nourished.

Reality settled in me again after I had washed my teeth. I was in a dangerous situation. I was now the property of as dangerous vampire. Whatever he asked me to do I had to do it.

I could do this. I was alive and I was unharmed for now, and that was good. I could fight and win if I played my cards right. I could be what I needed to be in order to survive and be free from here one day. Marcus Volturi would not break me. No one would ever break me or my spirit ever again. I will not allow that. No one will ever again hold power over me.

I need to know how to break Edward's hold on me. Then I can close my heart, do what is asked of me and survive until I am set free. It can take an eternity but I will do it.

I grabbed that determination with both hands, with my heart and with my body. I wonder where this determination was when I was alone wallowing in misery in Forks. Ah, I was not being shielded by Renata - a Volturi - back then. I was blind by love, heartbroken and depressed because I had been abandoned. Without her shielding me, even if the Volturi let me go I will be back in that same place, unable to think of anything else but Edward, unable to think by myself.

Unable to be free! Prisoner of a choice made for me by someone else.

I would continue to be a miserable, weak, pitiful creature that made everyone around her equally miserable. I think I must thank her one day. Okay, she is under orders and does not know me, but still, she is helping me. I have to thank her for the chance she is giving me to think clearly for the first time in a long time.

At least I am able to think and analyze my situation clearly now. My analysis is not a good one for me. I am in deep shit. _Jesus, when will this be over? When will this nightmare end?_

A determined knock on the door and I am on my feet. My heart hammers in my chest and my body is all too aware of who is coming in. I see the door opening and an imposing figure steps in. Marcus.

He has a strange expression on his face as he walks towards me, his eyes intent and intense on my face. I see him inhale deeply and his crimson eyes darken to match the deep burgundy of the walls. A smirk flashes in his lips only to disappear as quickly as it came and a dangerous fire burns behind his crimson eyes. I fight hard to keep from fidgeting under his gaze. He stops a few steps away and his eyes slowly rack my body appraisingly.

I feel myself blush bet red and I cannot stand to hold his eyes anymore so I look down at the floor. _Great, you are a courageous woman, Bella! _I think sarcastically.

He seems pleased with my submission. I must file this thought for later.

"Good morning Isabella. It is good to know that you have followed my orders. I am much pleased with you." It took all I had to stand up straight as his deep, velvety, smooth voice washed over me with his praise. His Italian accent was heavy and did wonderful things to me. I don't know why but hearing him say I did well made me almost shiver in pleasure and my knees to want to buckle under me.

"Good morning. Thank you sir, can I ask something?" I managed to squeak weakly before I lose my nerve. The sound of his light chuckle only mortified me further. I think he is aware of the confusing effect he has on me.

"Although you may address me as sir when we are alone, I would prefer you to call me Master Marcus at all times, as I am your superior. Yes, you may ask me a question."His expression is serious but not angry, so I decide to grab the bull by the horns.

"Master Marcus, what is going to happen today?"I could only hope that he was pleased enough with me to give me an answer. He looks at me thoughtfully before deciding to give me an answer.

"The Cullen clan is arriving to stand trial for breach of secrecy. They should be here in an hour. Edward will stand trial for using forbidden practices on you and will be sentenced. And you will be informed of your new life with me and with the Volturi." _Oh, my God. I am sure that they are innocent in what Edward did to me._ Even though they did abandon me like if I was nothing and I was deeply hurt by their actions, I still was grateful to them for welcoming me in their family. I was loved deeply for a while before this whole mess started.

"What is expected of me, sir?" I just had to know. He smiled softly and then again racked his eyes over me.

"You are mine. I like my property to be elegant, cultivated and graceful. You will do what I tell you to do. You will fill any role I see fit for you. You are eighteen years old, a woman on your own right. I will make sure that you get an education fit for a Volturi. You will realize that being a Volturi is not only a job, it is an honor. You will also work for us and develop your skills. Eventually I will turn you. Now, we need to move on. Please lift your hair from your neck." I trembled at this. He had given me too much information, and none of it was reassuring to me. What was he going to do? I could not move and I heard a soft growl coming from him.

"Isabella. Lift your hair, now." His order was like a whip, laced with steel and warning. I had no chance, no choice but to obey. With shaking hands I reached my hair and pulled it up.

He took something from his pocket. It seemed like a choker. I had to swallow harder as unwanted tears pooled in my eyes. _Do not cry, don't you dare to cry. Remember to keep your focus and survive._ I chanted to myself as I willed my tears back.

Quick as lightening he wrapped it around my neck. It was light but it was a bit too tight for what I was used. I could feel that it had some kind of pendant hanging from it. From nowhere he put a small golden hand mirror in front of me.

A gasp leaves my mouth. He owns me, and for the first time since I have known about the supernatural world I really can see what my place as a human is. I am a pet. I am the same as a dog or a cat. If I am lost, they can take a look at my collar and hand me to my owner.

I belong to Marcus Volturi. I am his do as he pleases. I may be his maid, his secretary, his pet or his whore.

I close my eyes to let the knowledge settle inside of me.

_Survive, Bella, fight to see another day._

*For you my Didyme Volturi, you are eternally mine.

**A/N **

**Did you enjoy it?**

**What do you think Bella is to Marcus, is he getting to her?**

**What do you think should be the Cullens and Edward's punishment?**

**Would you like to see Marcus POV?**

**Review and let me know your thoughts.**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story is pre read and betaed by **Savage Grace** and **Letsjustdance**, who has joined in from this chapter on. Thanks to the both of you for your help.

**Ad Vitam Aeternum***

**Chapter 4**

**Isabella POV**

As I open my eyes again I take another look in the mirror. A thin silver grey collar was wrapped around my neck. It was made of some metal unknown to me, but it was cold, very cold - cold in a way that it reminded me of the iciness of a vampire skin. From the collar hung a small black pendant contrasting with my skin, the pendant seemed made of the same metal. It too was very cold. It was the intertwined letters of **M** and **V**. Marcus Volturi. The beauty of the artistic work was gone as tears pooled in my eyes.

I was his, and he was making me show it to the world. Not only to the world. He was also showing it to me, so that I could comprehend and accept my role and my place. How do you accept such a thing when you are born in the end of the twentieth century?

I would have to wear his name on my neck. The need to puke came stronger than ever, but I made my best to hold it in. I was an animal? A dog? A cat? A cow? A thing that needed to be collared to show she had no power, that she was owned?

Shame flooded me. How could I ever look anyone in the eye after this? After wearing this for the whole world to see? How could I face the Cullen's with this around my neck? Even if I took it off I would always know that I had been owned once in my life.

He must have seen or sensed my distress because he lifted my chin with a single finger, making me look at him.

"Don't be upset, Isabella. I know that you are not happy about wearing a collar, but you will get used to it. We all belong to someone else. We all have our owners, no matter where in the world you are living; and the collars that are used on people only have different names, are made of different materials, and are worn in different places. Some of the collars that link someone to another are sometimes invisible, but are as heavy with their consequences as the one you have been given." His voice was soft and his finger was burning my skin. His crimson eyes revealed wisdom far beyond anything that I had ever known. This man, this vampire that was standing in front of me was very old and I could see it in his whole aura and presence.

Being in his presence humbled me, disturbed me and confused me. And I must be losing my mind because what he was saying actually made sense. We are all owned by someone; our parents, our bosses, our jobs, our family, our careers, our loved ones or our dreams and ambitions.

"Here in the Volturi, we all have them, even us, the rulers; it shows the world our allegiance." He said pointing to his own golden Volturi necklace. "And a woman in your place should be wearing her Volturi collar proudly. It is not an honor frequently conceded to a mortal." He released my chin and just stood there looking at me, analyzing how I was taking this little piece of information. I could understand his vision about the collars. Hell, my dad used his police badge. But it was voluntary. I had not asked for this dubious honor! And I would certainly not be proud of it.

I felt the shame give place to the anger - anger against Edward for being a stupid boy - anger at the Volturi for their stupid laws - anger at the Cullen's for mingling with humans – anger against me for being so needy, so weak, pathetic and stubborn to see that I should have stayed in my human world and leave the vampires alone.

I took a step away from him and balled my fists at my side. The look on his face only fueled my anger further. He really thought he was bestowing an honor to me. Maybe it was in the dark ages from where he crawled, not in the 21 century.

"I am not a thing or a pet to be collared. I don't see this as an honor but as a shameful thing to do to a human being who did not ask for it. I am a person. I belong to no one but me. You may own my body; you may even own my freedom, but I WILL NEVER BE YOURS." I yelled at him with all the hate and disgust I could summon.

Tears flowed from my eyes at a steady rhythm that matched the beating of my heart. But I could tell that it did not seem to upset him. I hastily lifted my hands to clean up my eyes and cheeks. I would not show them my distress or pain any more than I should.

"You are wrong, but you are not at fault in this. You are young and there are some things about the two of us that you are not aware. Forget the notions that you grew up with. In my world they don't apply - and you are now a part of my world. You are already mine, and I am sorry for you if you do not accept it, because in the end you will only make yourself miserable, much as you have been doing for the past months." Wow that hurt, he certainly knew how to rub some salt in the wound. He looked at me seriously, any trace of his previous amusement gone.

I looked at his crimson eyes and saw something in them. They were burning with something intense and warm and foreign at the same time, and the sight of it made my body tingle. I did not dwell on it, it is better to not acknowledge some things. I have become very good at this past few months, pretending that what disturbs me doesn't exist. This kind of look in his eyes made me feel like I am boneless whenever I look at him, and I want to keep my anger and my hate against them. They are all that I have now. He sighed deeply, almost like as if he was under great strain and continued.

"Are we so different from your dear Cullen's? We are aware of their crests. Their women use them as pieces of jewelry around their necks, don't they?" I gasped. He was right, I had not remembered it. They never took them off. It hurt again, a crest like that one was the only piece of jewelry that I had ever wanted to use. The Cullen crest.

Now I am here using one of the Volturi.

I chanced a look at him and he was looking at me with a smirk and I could practically feel his smugness. He knew that he was right and that I was now aware of it. I looked to the floor. Let him savor his victory. I couldn't care less.

"You are not to take off your collar. You will always wear it at a visible place, as we all do. For now it shows my ownership of you. It protects you also against vampires. No vampire will dare to touch what is mine." His tone once again held finality and warning. I was not to rebel or I would face dire consequences. I made an effort to stop my anger and hate. When I was mad I often did irrational things that hurt me. Not something I needed to do in here. And he kind of had a point, I could understand protection. God knows that I would need it while living here with these monsters.

_Remember, do what you have to do to survive Bella._ My conscience whispered to me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, willing my mind to calm down. It would not do to argue with him. I was still a weak human.

I jumped when I felt his hand on my arm, my eyes shot to his face seeing his onyx ones. I felt myself being swallowed by a black hole. I tried to back down, but my legs hit the back of love seat He followed my movements like a predator stalking his prey.

"Am I that repulsive to you, Isabella?" He whispered near my ear, his breath tickling my skin, and with this single movement I wanted to say _no, no, you are not_.

But I could not answer him, doing so was to surrender and I could not do it. My head was locked up in a state of fear mingled with whatever this man had that made me weak and unable to think.

"Am I that ugly, that unpleasant to look at, that you cannot see beyond my face, Isabella?" He slowly skimmed his nose up and down my neck, making me shiver in want and need.

"Are you so indifferent and hateful towards me, that you cannot entertain the notion of being with me, Isabella, of being mine?" His cold hand was sliding upwards, caressing lightly my arm, going up.

He bent over and again leaned over my ear, licking it slowly, lightly. The feeling was mind blowing and I felt it straight to my center.

"It can be so good Isabella. You and I together once you are ready for me. I have so many things to show you, to teach you. Just let go of the hatred, of the suspicion, of the prejudice. Let yourself see beyond the shell of my body, think by yourself for once. Make your own decisions based on what you learn and see, not what you have been told."I could not think anymore. His breath was washing over me, tickling my skin, making my head spin. His voice, soft, deep, full of promises was driving me crazy, and all the hate, all the anger that I felt was forgotten without even thinking of it.

"Don't judge what you know nothing of, my dear. Growing up is listening to your heart and mind, making decisions based on what you learn and not believing all that is said to you."

His hand stopped near my breast, a finger softly brushing over and an involuntary moan slipped from my mouth. I was embarrassed at how his light touches were showing me how much my body wanted his caresses. _Why?_

A deep low growl tore from his chest as I felt him inhaling deeply.

_Oh, my God, he can smell my arousal_! I was mortified by the knowledge that explained Jane's and his behavior when they came into the room.

"Feel me. Feel what I do to you, Isabella. Acknowledge the reaction of your body to my presence." The hand that was on my breast went down my body and lifted my skirt. Before I could even whimper at what he was doing to me his hand was caressing me. I was panting by now, standing up only by a miracle as I wanted nothing more than to slide to the floor and let him do with me whatever he wanted.

_This is not happening_ - Was the last rational thought that I had before the pleasure of his hand on me took my sanity away.

Before I could even think his gentle caresses were making me buckle against him and grab his arms with all my might. I didn't know if I wanted to run or to scream in pleasure. _Maybe the later!_

His other hand held my waist, keeping me up and flush to him. His knee went between my legs and without effort pushed them further apart, leaving more room for his hand to move.

Pleasure shot through my whole body. I had never, ever felt anything like this and it made all of my self pleasuring sessions pale when compared. I knew in a little, very little corner of my mind that I should not allow this to happen. I knew I did not know this man that was touching me so intimately, but…right now, all my attention was on that hand.

"All of this for me. Such a good girl! Next time you pleasure yourself thinking of me I will be watching instead of hearing it!" He growled as he licked the shell of my ear again. I know I should be drowning in shame that he had heard me in the bathroom, but I really could not, not when he was doing that wonderful friction making me lose my composure, my will and my thought. I am trembling and panting desperate for release, and he is calm as a rock, looking at the state I am in with his haughty manner.

He is a king, an immortal and I am only a mortal woman that can fall prey to their charm easily, and his look at me shows me that he is aware of this.

He lifts the hand that had been caressing me and takes it to his nose, inhaling deeply, as a strange sound, almost like the purring of a cat leaves his chest. It is an undulating, low rough sound that in a strange way brings me some calm and peace. Hearing it I want nothing more than to snuggle to his chest and stay there. It is a sound that I have never heard before.

"You smell good." He says simply. The ache inside of me only increases as he says those words. I want to scream, to make him return to what he was doing, and to fight, and hit him, and kill him, but I can't because he owns me. He is right. He already owns me. I don't know why, or how, but he does. I know it now without a shadow of a doubt. And when he is close to me I just can't think, I can't fight, I can't resist. He takes the hand to his mouth and licks a finger.

"You taste even better. I made a good deal on you. Young Cullen boy does not know what he lost." I watch in awe and in disgust as he spreads his hand over his mouth and licks it like if it was the tastiest chocolate he has ever had. His eyes are feral and passionate and I know that in front of me there is a man that takes what he wants, not bothering to ask permission.

He pulls my body flush to his and my knees finally buck under me. He crashes his lips to mine and faintly, I can taste and smell myself on him. He holds my head firmly in his hand to keep me still and in place while the other one still encircles my waist. His tongue forces my lips to part and he takes it like if I was a fortress to conquer.

He bites, he licks and he sucks my mouth and tongue while I hear the same soft purr from before coming from his chest. I think my lips will be bruised after this, because he is not gentle. No, I can see that he is also passionate and experienced. He just takes my breath away as I surrender to him. His taste is the most exquisite thing in the world, not sweet, but spicy and with the lingering green taste that I cannot identify. He tastes all of my mouth and lips, and engages my tongue to submit to him. A small, horrified part of me sees me responding and moaning, but not even that part of me wants this to end.

And all too soon it is over.

He leaves me as a trembling, quivering mess and steps back. I can't control my breathing or my racing heart. I had never been kissed like this. I have never felt what I feel with him. My first real kiss was given to me by a monster. That same monster was the first male to touch me intimately. A red eyed monster that I am unable to fight no matter how much I want it.

A microscopic part of my brain alerted me that I had in a matter of hours betrayed Edward in a very final and absolute way. And the same microscopic part of my brain told me that Edward had never made me feel like I was burning with need and want. My conscience tells me that there is something very serious going on between me and this man. That whatever this is it is strong enough to almost make me forget the supposed love of my life as if he never existed. I can no longer deny the attraction for this strange man/vampire that is coursing deeply inside of me.

But I cannot allow it to go further. I will not let this attraction turn to love. If I let it happen I will be caught up in the same web as Edward had weaved. How do I know that he did not do the same thing as Edward? I will not let myself love another man or vampire again. I can't hurt like that again.

This must be my hormonal teenager woman wanting sex. This must be a sexual attraction. _Yeah!_

I mean he is not gorgeous or even handsome, not in any classical way, but he is the incarnation of power and strength, and there is something about him that draws the eye. He is intense and from the little he has shown me he is a passionate man. He looks stern and manly and he is a bit old, but in a very twisted way he is sexy as hell.

I once thought that from all the Cullen's that Jasper was sex on legs, it exuded from him like a beacon. Edward was stunningly beautiful and had a perfect body of course, but he was much a teenage good boy and he did not exhale that air of man and raw sex that most male vampires that I had met had. Not that Edward was aware of my thoughts about his brother; it was only girl talk between me and Alice and she usually giggled saying that Jasper was a God in bed, with a body and sexual drive that even now, after sixty years of marriage made her drool at the simple thought of bedding him.

Well, Marcus here must have been Jasper's role model, because he can make a woman come only by looking at her.

I need to change my underwear but I don't think he will allow it. Alice told me once that the male vampires took great pride in showing others how they could arouse women. She had said that Jasper never allowed her to shower after they had sex. I chance a look up and I see him standing tall, smug and satisfied, looking at me.

"Let's go Isabella. Now you are as I want you, hot and bothered and smelling of me, eager to get more of what only I can give you. Everyone will be able to smell your arousal and your juices on me. Everyone will be able to smell my scent on you. It will show the world that while you are still a virgin you have already been mine. When the time is right I will take your body and the whole castle will hear it. You are mine after all, to do as I please."_Oh, God, I am not ready for this. Damn the survival; I am not ready to be bedded by this man…no matter how he can make me lose myself or how sexy he is. I am not ready._

"No, please. I am still a virgin. I have never…please…" he interrupted me with a simple finger over my lips. My panic was evident on my face and it only made him smirk more as the undulating purr coming from his chest once again makes itself known.

"Isabella, it is not becoming of a lady to beg. Please don't do it. It disgusts me. You are mine. It is my right to have _primoris nox noctis_* when the time is right and you are ready." He chuckled at my look of confusion.

"It is the right of taking your virginity, according to very ancient laws. An honor that is done not only to you, but also to me as you will share the treasure of your innocence with me." My look of horror must have shown again because he gently caressed my face with a single finger, making me blush.

"It is my right to claim you as mine because I won the challenge made in your name by the Cullen boy. You have nothing to worry. I will be gentle and I will bring you much pleasure. I already am aware of what makes your blood boil in desire. I do not need to enslave your soul, like the pathetic Cullen boy, for you to be mine. I know who is in your dreams when you are alone, and I can smell your excitement and arousal when I am near you. It will suffice a kiss to have you melt to me. Do you know why, Isabella?" My name was a purr in his lips, and I could feel his eyes burning me all the way to my soul.

I shook my head weakly, and he again pulled my body flush to his, allowing me to feel him grinding into me lightly. His scent was intoxicating me again and once again rational thought was leaving me.

"Do you know what my power is Isabella?" I shook my head again as articulated words could not leave my mouth right now, not while I was feeling his body. He was a big man, my head leaning on his chest; I could feel his muscles and the strength of them. He seemed to have a very well toned body. His arms were muscular and strong. The hard bulge that was pressing and lightly grinding against my lower half was big enough to make me swallow in fright and shiver in desire.

"I see the bonds between people. I can see if they love, hate or despise. I can see who belongs to whom and I can see the strength of it. I can detect if someone is a mate to another and the strength of the bond between them. Do you know what we are, you and me?" My head was once again spinning. He must have noticed because coming from nowhere he held a glass of cold ice water to me.

"Drink this, la mia piccola." I drank the cold water eagerly. It soothed my body and my soul like a balm.

When he saw that I was calmer he took two steps away from me. He looked at me with the most serious expression that I had ever seen on him since I have known him. He locked his burning eyes with me, holding my own by his sheer will. I could not leave those deep red pools of blood, even if I was a vampire and had the will to do it.

"Well, mia colomba, it seems that destiny has decided to play a big prank on me, Marcus Volturi. I, the man that knows all about bonds and connections, that has been alive for almost 2500 years and that knows with absolute certainty that we only have one mate in our life. Fate or whatever deity that rules the lives of the people that inhabit this world has decided - ignoring all that was a definite and absolute truth about vampire race and mating, and all that I have ever known about mating and bonds - made you my mate."

_Hein? Wha…What?_

A/N - _primoris nox noctis_* - Latin - Right of first night. An alleged obscure medieval costume, not documented in any historical record. It is however, a legend widely spread in Europe in which the Lord of a castle had the right to take the virginity of a maiden in the night of her wedding if she lived on his lands.

La mia picola – My little one.

Mia colomba – My dove

**Did you like it?**

**Do you believe him? Are they mates?**

**Tell me what you think. Leave a review.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. **The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story**. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I do this just for fun.

This chapter was beta and pre read by Letsjustdance, who took the time to help me and my sometimes bad English. Thank you sweetie, I give her this Jasper.

**This chapter deals with the trial of the Cullen family. In this story the vampire world lives by very ancient rules and traditions. So you will find many Latin phrases and words. Although I have a Masters degree in History, my Latin sucks big time. So, I have asked for the help of a sweetie that knows her stuff in ancient languages. So thank you Ane from Brasil for your help. This chapter is dedicated to you.**

**Ane, obrigado pela tua ajuda querida, sem ti este capitulo nao estaria tao complete.**

**Ad Vitam Aeternum**

**Chapter 5**

**Isabella POV**

I just stood there, my mouth hanging open looking at him. Had someone told me that I had gained the lottery, or that I was the long lost heir of the English throne, or that an alien had landed on my roof, it would not have amazed me as much as I was now.

The crystal glass that I held in my hand just shattered, due to the strength of my grip, the sharp shards cutting my palm deeply before falling to the floor. I looked at my hand and saw two deep and long cuts in it, blood starting to flow. The sight of my blood nauseated me and I quickly averted my eyes. The pain didn't even register until a few moments later when I saw a fast blur of white and heard soft growling. _Oh, God help me, I am bleeding and there is a vampire in the room!_

I was in the room with a human drinking vampire who was now growling softly while looking with narrowed eyes to my bloody hand. I was going to die, and yet the realization was not painful. I knew that it would be painful but quick. I had already lost so much since coming from Arizona to live in Forks that it seemed right for me to die now. A vampire had started all this and a vampire would end all this. It was poetic in a weird way. I had reached the limit of my luck and I was going to die.

I made my peace with a God that I had come to believe after the Cullen's left me in a second, and made my silent goodbyes to Charlie and Renee in another. I said my thanks to Jake for his friendship and love, and I wished that he could find happiness in his life. I knew that it was over now. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain of the bite to come. But it did not come. I knew that he was in front of me and that I was bleeding profusely but why was he not tearing into my flesh?

Ignoring my pounding heart and the dizziness that I was feeling from the smell of my blood, I peeked at Marcus from beyond my lashes. And the sight of him just made my body ignite like a wild fire.

The same undulating, deep, wonderful purr like sound, rose from his chest as he carefully and gently brought my hand to his lips and pressing on it sucked the blood that was oozing. I could not stop the moan coming from me at the sight of him sucking my hand.

My mind immediately went to when Alice had told me that Jasper and the more traditionalist vampires, those who embraced their more animalistic nature, used to bite their females and suck their venom during sex. It was a show of strength, domination and love. A claim on their mates with a physical mark. She told me that she could feel neither ashamed nor embarrassed by her mating marks, and that she did not hid them from other vampires. It was the mark of her man, her mate, on her skin, and it made Jasper swell with pride when she showed them. She told me that she loved when Jasper bit her even if it scarred her body. For her it was the ultimate high and it enhanced all of the senses of both vampires, making their climaxes a glorious thing.

I still remember her moist dreamy eyes when she told me that feeling Jasper's teeth sink into her flesh made her feel complete, totally and utterly his. And that was the longing of every vampire woman. To belong totally and completely to her mate, to her man. Knowing that they belong to each other so completely that they showed it physically.

I never understood what she said. Vampire teeth always made me remember excruciating pain due to James; it was hard for me to imagine pleasure coming from them. And I never really thought that I would one day get to experience what Alice said. I just could not see Edward doing it, conservative and moralist as he was. Always careful in the way he touched me as to not hurt me. But now…now looking at this man, this male vampire and his obvious pleasure while he gently sucked on my hand, I could see her point. Seeing him like this was making it difficult for me to be detached and my body started to ache for more, to my shame.

His eyes were closed and he sucked my palm with slow, languorous pulls, and the pleasure that he was feeling was evident by the way his body, especially his pelvis was moving with slow, languid movements, almost imperceptible to my eyes. The purr in his chest was louder now as he sucked and I had never witnessed anything so erotic in my entire life. I could not believe that this vampire, that instilled fear and confusion in me, that had fought savagely to own me, that had collared me as if I was an animal, that had bound me to a life without love or happiness, could be capable of being so passionate.

The whole thing lasted only a few seconds but in those few seconds I lived a life time. I understood now how amazing his control was and how erotic and overwhelming an experience was to have this man sucking my blood. I could not keep my eyes away from his mouth as his icy tongue sensually licked the remnants of blood from my palm, leaving it clean. His eyes were now open, locked on mine - two onyx orbs daring me to speak, to say something, to put into words what could not be verbalized.  
>The growling stopped and he took a few steps away from me again.<p>

He licked his lips and a satisfied look settled in his stern features. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and stood there, just looking at me. Tall and powerful and mysterious, deadly sexy and from what I now perceived completely in control of himself. I looked at my palm and where the deep bleeding gashes were, now stood two simple clean cuts, free of any blood. He turned and in a flash was in the bathroom. Before I could process his speed in my mind, he was in front of me again with what looked like a bandage. He said nothing. He just grabbed my hand and quickly wrapped the bandage tight around my hand, effectively sealing the cuts and closing it with two small white clamps.

"There, now you will not tempt anyone else. After all, if what my gift says to me is true, you are my mate and that means that all you have is mine." His last word came with the rumble of a growl that made me swallow at the sheer possessiveness that it showed.

A sudden rush of adrenaline brought to the forefront of my mind what he had said before. No, it is impossible. I must have misheard.

Mates? Me and this man? How can that be? I mean, Edward had said that he and I were mates, and the Cullen's had confirmed it. Now I know that Edward had forced the '_imprisonment of the soul'_ on me and that I was not his mate. I cannot say that I am all of the sudden free of what he did to me and of that love, or feeling, or whatever this is. No, I still have feelings for him even if I am still shielded from the full impact of what he has done to me. I can feel myself thinking clearly and the hole that took residence on my chest is much smaller. I feel that I can breathe again. I feel I can live again.

But mated to this man? I cannot deny how my body and even my mind react to Marcus and to his presence, his voice, his touch. It is like something primal takes hold of me and it makes me loose myself. It is completely different from what Edward made me feel. Marcus is so different from everything I have known.

How could I believe this man?

How could I believe a Volturi?

No, this is some trick he is using to make me bend to his will. He is a Volturi, and therefore someone not to be trusted, a monster with no soul or conscience, much less a heart to love. I even doubt that the Volturi could have mates. Edward and the Cullen's had never referred to them having them. No, to have mates you have to know how to love and to care for another. I don't think that any Volturi could feel that. Edward and even the Cullen family never referred to them as anything other than dangerous and power-hungry.

"Come, Isabella. We will talk about it later. The Council of Elders is ready and the Cullen's have just arrived. The trial will begin as soon as we get there. It is time to solve this mess and find the truth." His voice startled me. He grabbed my hand and in a micro second I was bridal style in his arms and he was running through a maze of dark corridors, hallways and closed wooden doors.

I noticed a blond, short woman running by our side. She had that kind of earthy beauty. Like the girl that you find next door. She just looked nice. She had a look of concentration on her beautiful features and she was tense, but when she noticed my gaze on her she smiled softly. Who was she?

I could not see where we were going. I could only make sense that we were going downwards, and I had the feeling that we were going deep into the bowels of this ancient fortress.

Suddenly I was standing in an immense hallway, illuminated with hidden spots of light giving it an eerie and imposing atmosphere. Marcus put me down and all I could do was look around in wonder. In front of me there was a huge, massive door. In front of that door, on the floor a Latin inscription – DOMUS EX LEX – in golden letters was the only color against the black marble of walls and floor. My little knowledge of Latin words let me know that this must have been their court. I made a mental note to ask later. The huge door was amazing; the door knobs were two enormous golden V's and the door seemed made of a black metal.

Engraved on the black metal I could perceive the sculpture of a golden scale. One of the plates of the scale had a feather and on the other one there was a heart. Under the scale a blue fire burned and above it a sun showed its rays. Engraved in gold on the black stone that surrounded the door was written – INTER QUIS SI TRIBUO IN PROCUL VESTRI IUGUM. I made no sense of it and I looked speculatively at Marcus. He must have seen the question in my eyes.

"It is Latin, a most noble language. In English it means, House of Law" He said pointing at the floor, his voice deep and serious. He pointed to the door. "Enter and submit to your peers."

"You will need to learn it, Isabella. It will be part of your schooling. It is essential to a Volturi." I nodded, still absorbed by the contemplation of this monumental place.

The whole ensemble gave an impression of power, strength and invulnerability and I was feeling very small in this place.

Marcus turned me and held my head gently between his hands diverting me from the contemplation of the beautiful door and forcing me to look at his eyes. The woman stood still behind me, the small smile still on her lips.

"Address me, my brothers and the members of the Council of Elders at all times as Master. Behind you there is Renata. She is a physical shield and has been shielding you from Edward's bond; she has been doing it since we discovered it. Unfortunately Chelsea, the guard that cuts bonds cannot break yours. But Renata can only do so much; the rest is up to you, you must summon your will power and fight it. She needs to be very near you or him to block his influence on you. She spent the night in your room, shielding you. Now here in the court she will seat by your side." I nodded conveying my understanding.

So this was Renata, the shield. I smiled tentatively at her and she twitched her lips upwards at me while keeping her intense concentration. Marcus continued to talk making me take a deep breath of his wonderful green scent as it washed over my face, it was like sweet lemonade and green leafs. It was mouthwatering and I leaned closer to get more, an involuntary moan slipped my lips, making him chuckle.

"Shhh…now is not the time, young one. Pay attention. You are not at risk here, but you will have to testify. Talk only when you are asked to say something. Think before you say something and do not act impulsively because you know nothing of our world or our laws, and you may jeopardize those you wish to protect. Say the truth at all times. The council of Elders has the means to know if someone is lying. Stay on your seat the whole time, Renata and Demetri will guard you. Do not engage the Cullen's in any way; I do not want them touching you. What is at stake here is very serious and their lives are on the line. This is not the place for childish and reckless behavior. Do you understand?"His face, posture and voice backed up the seriousness of this situation.

I nodded. What else could I do? I had been put in my place once again and he was right. I am a bit impulsive and with my temper I could do something irreparable. I took a deep breath as he opened the door, and grabbed my hand pulling me inside a round white room with no windows. Comprehension dawned on me. It was a court room. The court room of the vampire race!

It was huge, that was the first thought that I had. The second thought was…imposing. The third thought was… terrifying. It was a place of judgment, law and death.

It made me feel small and scared. I was sure that the frantic beating of my heart was most certainly making every vampire in the room crazy. Add that to the scent of my blood and I knew that if I did not calm down I could turn into a snack

I felt a hand on my arm and I jumped.

"Calm down Isabella. You are safe. We will protect you." I looked up to see that it was one of the first guards that I had seen - Demetri that had spoken. He was looking at me with black eyes but he looked calm and composed.

"Take a deep breath and then let go. It will help. You are safe." His voice was soothing and I relaxed slightly. I looked around but Marcus had vanished, somehow it disappointed me, his presence was somewhat comforting. Beside me stood Renata and Demetri, their eyes scanning the room. I looked at Demetri again and gave him a small smile. His answering wink and dazzling grin made me drop my jaw. He was teasing me! In that moment he looked a bit like Emmett and my heart constricted. I took another look around to see where Marcus was.

Upon a white marble dais stood three equally white marble armchairs dominating the room; Aro and Caius, and Marcus were already sitting in their chairs, their black cloaks wrapped around their bodies. On the back wall, behind them there was a huge Volturi crest made of black marble standing against the white marble walls. Above it another Latin inscription, LEX EST PRO SULUM*, written in black.

_Yeap, Marcus is right, I really do need to learn my Latin. _

In front of the main dais, stood a lower platform, and on it at regular intervals stood eight slightly smaller white chairs, facing the room. They were all occupied, except the one closer to the door, by what must be the Council of Elders, the seven vampires seated on those chairs all wore a hooded red cloak that hid their features, but I could see their hands and they seemed to have the same pale, papery skin as the Volturi brothers.

In the back of the room, several long stone benches composed an audience. They were half full. There were maybe a hundred vampires in the room and I could feel all of their eyes on me. I got a little closer to Demetri and Renata. _They are a hundred too many for my good health! _

They ushered me to the far wall, where there was a stone stool. The big Volturi, Felix was already there. I saw that all along the walls, at regular intervals stood black cloaked figures. _Guards_! I realized with a jolt.

I was made to sit down and I was grateful when Renata sat next to me, to my right side and put her hand on my knee offering me a small smile. Demetri stood by my left side standing at attention.

All the whispers and noise of conversation in the room came to a halt as a tall, thin man wrapped in a blood red cloak walked in. He carried what it seemed like a walking staff. But it was not a normal staff. It was big, thin, made from what I could see; the same black metal that was everywhere and it had a bluish flame at its end. It seemed like a very long Olympic torch. I had to control the giggle that wanted to erupt at the thought.

He walked towards the middle of the room and with a small bow towards the dais; he turned to the audience and struck the floor.

"INITIUM FACERE ET JUSTITIA EXSISTO VINDICO*!" He had a really loud voice and even if I could not understand what he said, I knew we were going to begin by the silence and respect that greeted him.

He struck the floor again and in the end of the room a door opened and being guarded by five Volturi guards, came in the faces that I had missed so much. The other part of my heartbreak. The Cullen family minus Edward and Alice.

They walked in slowly, taking in their surroundings. Defeat and fear etched on their faces and posture. I was surprised to see that their usual pristine appearance was missing. Their clothes were wrinkled, and their physical appearance was even worse, even their always immaculate hairs were somewhat undone. It looked like if they were human; they had many nights of lack of sleep and were not eating well. The bags under their eyes were noticeable and they were obviously nervous.

Rosalie and Esme were clinging to their mate's arms and even I could see the fear in their eyes. It was short of amazing to see the proud and bitchy Rosalie cling to her husband's arm and her eyes full of dread. But what really caught my attention was Jasper. He was simply desperate and wild, barely in control. His eyes wildly searched around the room and his whole body seemed tense, I could almost see him taking in the scents as he inhaled deeply.

He was ready to spring and kill, maim and destroy. I had never seen him look more of a vampire than now, not even when he launched at me.

Huge waves of worry, pain, grief, hopelessness, betrayal and anger swept through me and I knew that he was too far gone to be in control of his gift. He was projecting and the groans and slight growls that came from all over the room and the fidgeting of the vampires showed me that they too were affected. I whimpered and as I turned my eyes to the dais I saw Marcus stand up.

"Major Whitlock, please refrain from projecting your feelings. Your mate is not harmed in any way. She will be here soon." His voice was calm and commanding. His eyes focused on Jasper until he nodded. He turned then and sat, sparing me a small and serious look.

I again focused on Jasper, his despair was so heartbreaking and I wanted to hold him and console him as my heart went out to him. I knew how he was feeling. He was panicking. He was afraid he was going to lose his mate, his salvation, his love. I realized that we had both been betrayed by those we loved.

Me, because my free will had been taken from me, and then because the one who had made me blind to everything else but him, decided to go back on his deeds and abandoned me to a life of pain and misery.

Jasper, because his love, his reason to be alive, his mate, chose to lie to him and go on and almost suicide mission to save her brother, instead of being with him, instead of trusting him. Yes, we were both victims of those damn morals of family held by the Cullen's. And we were both paying the price. Me, I had lost my freedom, and I was condemned to belong to another person for the rest of my life or unlife. He, he was in danger of losing his mate, his family and his life.

As I looked at them they all turned to look at me. I saw the relief, quickly followed by the sorrow and the regret were so visible in their faces that I flinched. I could see the apologies clearly etched into each of their faces, but it was with surprise that my heart rebelled against them. Emmet mouthed - _I am so sorry_, but I averted my eyes. I did not want to look at them. They had been all that I ever wanted before, to belong to their family. I had spent months waiting for them to be back, to love me again. I was ready to take them back without ask a single question.

But now, seeing them in here, ready to face trial, I could not find it in me to pity them. They abandoned me, they claimed me to be family and they left on the whims of a boy, leaving me behind. They just up and left without a goodbye, like I was yesterday's garbage. They too broke my heart and my soul; I don't know how I could ever again trust them. I am afraid that with everything that I went through, sorrow and regrets are not enough anymore. I do not blame Rosalie and Jasper though. Rose never pretended to like me, whatever her reasons were, she was never my friend and she never welcomed me as one of them. And Jasper, well Jasper could not even interact with me, we barely talked, and we were always kept apart. How can a man like him, live like that? Always mistrusted, always in the background, how can Alice do that to her mate?

It was with surprise that I realized that I was not ready to forgive them. The pain cut too deep this time to forgive like this. I had to hold back a sob and it was all I could do hold back my tears.

"Shhhh…all is well Isabella, they won't hurt you anymore." Demetri's hand was on my shoulder, squeezing slightly, providing comfort. I was grateful. In this place, after all that had happened here, all that I was now aware, it was good to have someone that cared for me. Even if he was a Volturi!

A loud noise made me jump. The door where the Cullen's had entered before opened and in came a very subdued and disheveled Alice. Her head was down and sobs racked her body and she just looked like a mess. A guard walked behind her and it pained me to see her like this. She was led to the Cullen's and stood in front of Jasper, her head bowed. I felt the wave of relief mixed with anger, swept through the room, Jasper was projecting again. It lasted only a fraction of a second before it disappeared. He just stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, looking at her as her sobs wracked her, his lips moving quickly, and angry expression on his face. _Oops…someone is getting a tongue lashing!_ Suddenly she got to her knees, her head between her hands.

"I am sorry…I had to….I didn't mean to…he is so young…forgive me, Jasper...please" Was all I could understand. All the vampires in the room were looking at the scene with interest. I saw Jasper shake his head angrily before reaching down and pulling her to her feet and beside him. She turned to look at me and gave me a watery smile that I could not return.

Then suddenly the vampire in red was in front of the Cullen's; Carlisle stood and walked to stand in front of the dais. He made a low bow towards the dais and stood in front of it. The man in red turned towards the dais and as if summoned, Aro stood from his chair and walked down to stand beside Carlisle. The vampire in red stood behind the two of them and raised his staff.

"CONCEDERE TESTIS VOSTRUM*!"

Aro walked forward. He looked at me with half a smile and then faced the vampires in red and his brothers.

"My brothers, my friends, dear guests! We are gathered here today to judge the Cullen family for breach of secrecy. We are also here to judge one of the members of the Cullen coven for using the forbidden practice of "_reclusionne di un' anima_" against the human Isabella Swan present here." He had to stop at the angry murmurs that rose from the audience. "We will address first the breach of secrecy by exposing our existence to the human Isabella Swan. The matter is worst because with the single exception of one person, no one was willing to turn her into one of us, and no one wanted to take her life as the law demands. I will recount next all that I have gathered as being the truth during my meetings with all members of the coven."

He then proceeded to recount what his gift had allowed him to see. For a long time he spoke at a human pace, maybe because of my presence, I don't know. As much as I wanted to tell that he was lying, I couldn't. It was a huge surprise. He stated the facts as they had come to pass. He was impartial and objective to the point of stating that I had linked the clues of the Cullen puzzle and had figured out what they were. It almost seemed that he did not want to hurt anybody. But that had to be wrong, right? He was a power hungry monster that wanted to destroy the Cullen's, right? Given all that I was told and I all had ever known about the Volturi I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach when I compared both versions of the story.

They were the definition of a monster in the words of Edward. He could not find them a single redeeming quality when I was with him and with the Cullen's. They were feared, despised and vilified. But was that the truth?

They had not harmed me. I had been well cared for, and in spite my hatred towards my situation, and all that had happened, they were taking good care of me. No one was hostile and no one had threatened me. They tried to make me feel welcome and at home. Now hearing Aro stating the facts with an almost clinical detachment I was starting to wonder if I had ever known the truth.

When he got to my abandonment in the woods, I heard some growls. I looked to see that at least Jasper and Emmett were baring their teeth, as was Marcus, who I had been spying from the corner of my eyes.

"…then young Edward arrived here begging for death. We refused him because I knew that he was hiding something concerning the human girl, but he tried to force our hand and expose himself so that we would kill him. Our denial bought us time to lure his coven here and get the truth. Fortunately I had sent two guards to recover him, to get a better read of his thoughts. He was then brought back here with the young one and his sister Alice Whitlock. Now I believe that we need to hear young Isabella's side of the story."

_Huhhh…me? No, no...no…_ My eyes widened and my sweat glands started to work full time, as I saw the red cloaked vampire in front of me. My heart beat picked up wildly and I was sure that I was going to faint, everything was spinning. I could not be here; I had to get out of here. I faintly heard voices and then Jasper was in front of me, his hands on my shoulder and his eyes locked with mine. Calm was sweeping through all of my pores and settling inside my very own soul. A glass of cold water was brought to my shaking hands and they helped me to bring it to my lips.

"Bella, all is well. No one will harm you. Just tell what happened, and then you came back here. All is well, darling. Breathe with me. In, out…in, out…that's it sugar, yes…like that, in, and out…just like that. I am so proud of you, sweetie."His voice was soothing and I could feel my panic attack subsiding.

"Stay…I can't…"I begged him. He looked at Aro and his lips were moving really fast, Aro looked at the vampire in red, who nodded, and then at Marcus. Marcus eyes were fixed on me and he was on the edge of his seat as if he was about to stand. He nodded stiffly, his red eyes filled with an emotion that I could not place. Jasper brought my attention back to him.

"Okay darling, I will stay behind you. I will not leave you." The relief I felt was overwhelming, and I could not stop myself from hugging him tight. He tensed but returned the hug gently patting my back.

I let him go and with shaky feet I walked to the center of the room as Aro and Carlisle had done before, feeling Jasper and Renata behind me. Aro turned to me.

"Isabella, you will give testimony, saying the whole truth about what happened. This is Angus; he is an elder, like me." – He pointed to the vampire with the staff – "He has the gift to know when people say the truth. If he knows that you are lying he will make you say the truth. Do you understand?" I gulped and remembered what Marcus said to me.

"Yes, Master." His smile was the softest and most gentle I had ever seen on him. He waved his hand for me to begin my tale.

I took a deep breath and I just let it out. I had never talked so much in six months. I told them of how we met, how he saved me from Tyler's van, how he stalked me at night. I told them about my reasoning in discovering what they were and how I found him so beautiful. How suddenly he was everything to me, my life and my soul and how I had become completely dependent on him forsaken everyone else and alienating my family and friends for him. I told them about James and my time in the hospital. I told them how I begged for Edward to turn me and how he always told me no. I told them of feeling lost and empty if he was not around me. I told them about the party that I did not want and its outcome. I repeated Edward's cold words to me when he left and about being left in the woods, alone and in the dark, only to be saved and brought back home by the alpha of a pack of wolves. I hesitated to tell about the pack, and for a second I considered lying. But with this man here behind me, it would do no good.

"Wolves? Werewolves? In America?" I heard the murmurs rising from the audience, and lots of growling. I forgot that they had a problem with the werewolves.

"Shape shifters, my friends, not children of the moon. These wolves maintain rational though even in animal form and they are self appointed protectors of the humans!" Aro spoke with exasperation and made signal for me to continue.

I told them about my heartbreak and being catatonic. I told them how I lost the will to live and that only recently I had started to have a somewhat healthier behavior, thanks to my friend Jacob and his pack. I told them about being hunted by a crazy vampire her friends and about the pack protecting me from Victoria and Laurent. I told them how I went cliff diving and Alice showed up, thinking that I was dead.

About how her visions provoked a misunderstanding that caused Edward to beg for death.

When I finished the whole room was silent except for the sobs that racked through Esme's figure and a low, steady growl coming from Jasper's chest as small waves of anger swept through his fingers on my back. Yeah...I was pissed off at this whole mess too, and they did not know the half of it yet. I chanced a look at Marcus, and instantly wished not to have done it. He was standing and he looked murderous, his teeth barred and his face a mask of anger. He looked like the powerful, all mighty vampire that had fought against Edward and had defeated him in the blink of an eye. His body seemed to shake with anger and power. I was truly afraid of him, he was simply terrifying. Caius mirrored his stance, and I knew then that the Cullen's were in for a world of pain.

Aro looked at Angus and he nodded, then he turned once again turned towards the dais.

"Isabella's account is truth. I corroborated almost all of it last night with the Cullen coven. Carlisle Cullen will testify next."

I was ushered to my place and Jasper to his. Alice held on to his arm like if it was a lifeline, but he hardly looked at her, his jaw set on a thin line, his eyes hard and unmoving.

Carlisle's testimony allowed me to hear their side of the story and it hurt. They just left me behind even knowing that it was wrong, and went on with their lives. They did not want to, but Edward asked them to leave and he was family, they wanted him to be happy, a clean break was a good thing. I learned that Edward fled the family a few days later and went to South America to try to track down Victoria.

At this point I wanted to slap them. They could not track shit. She was in AMERICA hunting me! I wanted to yell, but again recalled Marcus warning. So I continued to listen. They all agreed that it was best for me. That hurt so much…all of them…meaning Alice, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle, those who considered me daughter and sister, agreed to leave without even a goodbye.

Concern for my well being…my happiness…a full happy human life, were the sparse words that I heard after a while. _What a joke!_

_Look how well that worked for me_, I wanted to yell. I was getting too upset and Renata's hand that had resumed its place on my knee tightened.

"Calm down Isabella. It is not good to lose your calm here. Remember what Master Marcus said." She whispered and I took a few moments to calm down as she had said, concentrating on my breathing and in calming my heart. Now was not the moment to blow up. Later, later I would ask for that privilege.

While I calmed down Carlisle had stopped talking and was already on with his family.

Angus, the vampire with the staff stroked three times the floor and as one everyone stood. I watched as if they were one all the Council of Elders and the brothers walked out of the room. Demetri leaned in towards me.

"Isabella, we are in recess because they are going to deliberate. It is late, almost three in the afternoon. There is food for you in the next room." He offered me his arm and I took it. I could not believe that so much time had passed. As we left the room Renata followed us and sat at the table with me as I ate. We did only small talk, and I learned that she was born in Austria and was 640 years old, having being turned by Demetri when she was 19 years old. She was not mated but had a very sweet spot for Felix, and that she loved romantic movies and novels. I could see that she was trying to distract me, but I could not help but to like her, she was a very sweet girl.

The food was simple but delicious. A small tomato and mozzarella salad, accompanied a wonderful Picatta Milanese, the meat cut exactly the right way and fried to the perfect point. I could not believe how hungry I was and how good the food was.

As I was finishing eating, Demetri appeared.

"They are finished and ready to announce the verdict. We must go." _Well, that was quick_!

I got up and once again took his arm, Renata following us. As we walked on the court room I could almost taste the anticipation. The vampire, Angus was in the middle of the room.

As soon as I sat he raised his arms to the ceiling.

"EXSISTO VERITATIS VERBUM NOSTRUM, PECTUS PECTORIS IUSTUS NOSTRUM ET ANIMUS SEDO SURSUM NOSTRUM INTEREA DUM IUDICIUM ISTE!" Yeap, he must be saying something important, but I did not have a clue of what. And as if he knew I could not get a clue.

"May our words be true, our hearts just and our souls serene as we pass this judgment!" Wow, I had no words. His voice had a tick Scottish accent.

He turned to the dais.

"We have listened to all parts involved. Truth was spoken by all. Consilius ex Senioris*, how do you judge the Cullen coven on the accusation of breach of secrecy?"

Caius stood.

"Guilty!"

Aro stood.

"Guilty!"

Marcus stood.

"Guilty!"

One by one all of the men in the Council of Elders stood and rendered the same verdict.

Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! I was feeling dizzy. What was going to happen to them? I was mad at them but I did not want them dead.

I chanced a look their way and saw that they were pale, paler than ever, fear and pain was clear in all of the faces. Jasper stood apart, not showing any emotion, stoic, with a still sobbing Alice clinging to him.

Aro stood again.

"Cullen Coven, you have been found guilty. Your activities in the human world have been cause for concern for many years now. We, the Volturi and the Council feel that you must be separated and made to work for the Volturi. However as you have come forward and acknowledged your mistakes we have decided to show leniency."

"Carlisle and Esme Cullen, you will cease all interaction with humans and will relocate for the next 50 years to Finland, were you will develop several research projects for the Volturi concerning global warming and UV emissions, a problem that is threatening even our almost indestructible kind, as many of you have already noticed. You will be accompanied by Volturi members and will not be allowed to contact the other members of your coven."

"Emmett and Rosalie McCarty, you are to go to the Volturi outpost in Egypt, were you will join the guard. In there you will help in maintaining peace between the resident covens of the African continent for the next 50 years. The conditions are the same for you as for your coven leader." Rosalie just buried her face in Emmet chest as she wept. He however did not seem fazed by that. If anything he seemed slightly excited. Always the big oaf.

"Jasper and Alice Whitlock, your abilities will be used in the inner guard. You, Major Whitlock, were the only one truly willing to turn Isabella Swan and you also were the only one, together with Mrs. McCarty, to want to terminate her existence when your brother exposed us, only to be stopped and threatened by your family. So we decided to show you and your mate leniency. Your skills and ability will be more useful as one of the Commanders of the Volturi Guard for the next 50 years, than as a high School student. A man, a warrior like you is wasted in a coven like the Cullen's. Your wife will stay by your side and under your authority, and while she will not join the guard, she will however help us when needed. You, major Whitlock will have all the freedom and privileges allowed to the Volturi high ranks, although we expect you to have a firm hand on your mate. She has much to learn in how to be a good wife and mate, as her recent adventure showed everyone." I was so happy, Alice and Jasper were staying. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from me. I was not alone. They were here with me. Somehow that knowledge made my fate so much more bearable. I was still a bit mad at Alice but, they were here. I wanted to run and hug them, until I saw that for them it was as if a death sentence had been given. Aro continued.

"Given the particularities of your coven we have allowed for you to maintain your animal diets if you so desire."Jasper must have lost control of his gift because relief swept though the room for a few seconds. I looked at them with a small smile that Jasper returned. Aro continued.

"Now we shall proceed with the last member of the coven. Let in Edward Cullen, accused of using the illegal practice of "_reclusionne di un' anima_".

Angus tapped his staff and repeated the same words of the beginning but I did not hear any of it. My eyes diverted to the door at the far end of the room, and walking slowly, escorted by two guards, his hands and feet bound by chains, his head bowed, came in the vampire responsible for this whole mess, Edward Cullen.

A/N Soooo, tell me…do you agree with the verdict? Was it fair? Please let me know what you think and I promise to reply your reviews.

Translations:

* LEX EST PRO SULUM – The law rule us all.

*INITIUM FACERE ET JUSTITIA EXSISTO VINDICO – Let us begin, so that justice may be served.

*CONCEDERE TESTIS VOTRUM – Give your testimony.

*CONSILIUS ex SENIORIS – Council of Elders.

*EXSISTO VERITATIS VERBUM NOSTRUM, PECTUS PECTORIS IUSTUS NOSTRUM ET ANIMUS SEDO SURSUM NOSTRUM INTEREA DUM IUDICIUM ISTE! - May our words be true, our hearts just and our souls serene as we pass this judgment!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. **The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story**. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I do this just for fun.

**Letsjustdance** took the time to help me and my sometimes bad English. Thank you sweetie.

**I have a banner for this story. It was made by LunarEclispe1. It is on my profile and all you have to do is click to see it. To her all my love and flowers.**

**Ad Vitam Aeternum**

**Chapter 6**

**Isabella POV**

Time seemed to stand still and the first thought I had when I saw him was, '_how the mighty have fallen'_. I watched as the beautiful, perfect Edward Cullen came through the door bound in chains, guarded by two Volturi guards to be judged by a court of his peers for breaking their laws. I heard the faint commotion as all heads turned and the vampires that composed the audience whispered to each other.

This Edward was not the boy I used to know. His clothes were all wrinkled and torn, and the gash in his face from his fight with Marcus was healed but was still visible, even to my human eyes. He walked slowly ignoring the curious eyes of everyone present in the room. I could see the strain that he was feeling, probably hearing all of their thoughts, but as if to show that it had no effect on him he lifted his head high as he looked in front of him. The only emotion that he showed was when, for a fleeting moment, his eyes roamed the room before meeting the devastated faces of his family. He did not show any emotion, not to Esme's sobs, not to Rosalie's and Emmett's furious stare or not even when Jasper's angry low growl echoed throughout the room. He then turned his head sharply and looked at me.

Unconsciously I melted more against Renata's body who was by my side. It was not fear. It was unease. I knew that I was being shielded from the bond he had forced on me, but I also knew how strong my fabricated feelings for him were. I did not want to be the mindless creature that I had been since I met him. I wanted my life back. But he is so beautiful and he draws me in so much! _Everything about me draws you in…_his words from long ago came into my mind and they were never more true than now. I was already lost in all what concerned him when he had said them to me.

I shivered a little as I tried to fight my treacherous heart.

"Shhh…little one. No one will harm you. I've got you." Demetri spoke softly in my ear as he came to stand by my other side, picked up my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. I gave him a small smile in thanks, and looked at Edward's face again. He still had his eyes glued to me and he seemed oblivious to everything else.

Edward's whole attitude showed defiance and even a hint of arrogance that I was lucid enough now to recognize. To Edward everyone non-Cullen or not 'vegetarian' was evil. I don't know if he did it consciously or not, but it was evident in the way he conducted himself when in the presence of the Volturi.

The two guards that were holding his chains led him to the center of the room but he kept his eyes on me, although I refused to meet his gaze; he stopped in the same place where Carlisle and I had been led to give our testimony. The guards did not release their hold on him, not even when the tall vampire, Angus, approached them.

I saw Angus fiddle with something in his staff and two small pillars made of the same black metal rose smoothly from the ground. Edward's guards took the chains that held his hands and locked them up on the small pillars. I saw Edward testing them and give up in defeat with a small growl. He was bound and it became very clear to me that he could very well be meeting his death.

Unintentionally my eyes locked on to his and then, nothing else mattered. His gaze held all the intensity, all the pain, all the love, all the passion as they did before and my heart leapt in my chest at the sight of him. _So beautiful, so perfect_. Time stood still as my heart and my soul filled with the love that had caused me so much pain and suffering.

A small, almost unintelligible voice whispered inside of me, '_it is not true, Bella_' but I ignored it, as I ignored Demetri's low growl and Renata's gasp and agitation. Nothing else mattered but Edward.

I could feel myself getting lost in him, as I had been since the beginning, but I could not find in me the reason to fight it.

"Bella…" he whispered reverently and my eyes clouded with tears at the sound of his velvety voice. I had missed it so much all of these months.

It seemed so unfair for him to be here, bound in chains and in danger. He was just a victim of his good intentions towards me. Maybe we could work things out. Find a solution. All my anger and pain faded from me as I melted in his love and in his eyes. _My perfect Edward_. I could almost taste his scent on my tongue. _Perfect._ A man like him could not possibly have done the things that he was accused of. My feelings for him were not fabricated, no, that must have been a lie of the Volturi. I loved him so much. _So much_. I gave in to the need to be near him, to smell him and I decided to just go to him and let his cold body and sweet scent erase all the bad memories of the last few days as I got up and lifted my foot to go to him.

My intentions were cut short by a hard, cold embrace and the wonderful scent of green that enveloped my senses. Marcus. The Volturi ruler. Anger filled me. He was stopping me from going to my love, which was now growling and trying to get rid of the chains that had him imprisoned.

"Bella, my love…I love you!" Edward's voice sang to my heart and as I struggled I felt a wave of his wonderful sweet scent reach my nose. It felt like happiness had finally reached my heart. It made me feel alive and loved. _How I have missed it!_

A warm, deep voice, spoke into my ear.

"He is controlling you. Fight it; Renata is having trouble shielding you. Fight the bond, my Isabella."

"No! Let me go." I said, struggling to get out of his hold.

"Renata, touch her skin now." He growled and his voice had such a deep commanding tone that immediately I felt a small, delicate hand touching my forehead. It felt like a ray of sun had pierced through the clouds that enveloped my mind and I opened my eyes to gaze into the worried, kind eyes of Renata as the weight of the world faded slowly from my shoulders with a shuddering breath.

Slowly, clarity started to came back to my mind. _This is not right. I don't want this! He made me love him! He made me suffer! He hurt me so much! He took away my choices. Because of him I am not free anymore and I will never again see my family. No! I won't go back to that. I must be strong. Fight! I have to fight this, but how?_

I concentrated on the wonderful scent that surrounded me, on the cold, hard body that had me flush against his, on the hard, toned chest that was keeping me safe. In the powerful arms that held me close, as close as two bodies could be. And then Edward's eyes were gone as was his mental hold on me. The hand on my forehead went to my arm and gripped it. I saw the intense concentration of Renata and knew that were she a human she would be sweating.

"Let her go, demon…leave my mate alone…arghhhhhhhhhh."

I heard piercing screams and by the corner of my eye I saw that Edward was writhing in pain on the floor with Jane hovering over him. I was not sorry for the pain he was enduring. I could not. Whatever he did it was strong enough to break through Renata's shield and reach me, turning me into the spineless girl that did all that he wanted_. No! I won't be going back to that!_ My body started shaking when the adrenaline rush ended and I could not hold back my tears. _Damn, I am so pathetic_! I thought as I tried to fight them back.

The chest that I was pressing into was vibrating with the most terrifying growl and all I wanted was for this to be over and to go to sleep. I melted against the cold embrace that had me feeling safe and chanced a look at the room. Chaos was all around. Jasper was restraining a screaming Alice from going to Edward, his expression murderous as he looked between her and his fallen brother. Felix was holding Carlisle by the neck, halfway to where Edward was and Demetri was restraining a sobbing Esme. A Volturi guard - that I had never seen before - and Emmett were circling each other, baring their teeth and growling and Rosalie was being restrained by Alec. Several vampires in the audience were standing, yelling outraged at what they were seeing.

"Enough!" Caius roared, and his command echoed around the room settling a startled silence. I was alert enough to see that this vampire without a gift had other ways of commanding respect and obedience. He was a leader.

Several black cloaks went to the Cullen's and made them sit on their benches – carefully avoiding Jasper, who sat Alice by his side, staring at her angrily - while others went to calm the audience. Caius and Aro were on the dais with thundering expressions in their faces looking down at the courtroom. The vampires in the red cloaks were looking curiously at Edward and at the Cullen family. Edward was freed from Jane's power but laid on the ground trying to get his bearings. His guards checked his chains and apparently satisfied, went back to their places.

Marcus slowly disentangled himself from my trembling form only to be replaced by Renata. She wrapped her arms around me and sat me down. Marcus knelt in front of me and despite the trembling of my body I lost myself in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his red eyes boring into mine, making it all but impossible for me to have a rational train of thought. I could not speak yet so I swallowed hard and nodded. He lifted his head and gently caressed my face with the tips of his fingers, wiping away any remaining tears. His touch was so soothing.

"All will be over soon. Stay strong for a little while longer. I won't allow him to do it again but I must ask you to leave the trial once it is his time to testify, do you agree?" I nodded. I really was getting tired and these procedures were taking a long time. I really did not want to relieve all that Edward had done to me, I already knew. I could feel the damage in my soul. Satisfied with my answer Marcus stood and with one last lingering look at me, walked to the dais to stand with his brothers.

"This is a place of law and order. It is not to be disrespected! Blindfold and gag the accused and proceed!" Caius said and his brothers nodded. They all went to their seats and Angus once again was in the center of the room. Two guards walked to Edward and while one stopped him from struggling, holding his hands behind his back, the other tied a thick, black blindfold on his eyes and stuffed a black object into his mouth. They left and I saw Angus raise his staff and proceed with the same ritual as before.

Only a part of my brain was following the proceedings. My mind retreated back to what just happened and what I could possibly do to keep it from happening again. I was only human but I had to find a way. This is not how I wanted to live my life. Now that Renata's shield is around me I cannot believe that Edward was actually so stupid as to try to lure me again in the middle of his own trial and in front of witnesses. He tried again, in all conscience, to take away my freedom of choice. Like if I was a thing, a possession, like if I was not worthy of having a life away from him. _Oh, sweet Jesus, please give me strength to break this bond_. I don't want Edward. I don't want him anywhere near me! I know that now. I remembered what Aro told me _'the human woman must find the strength within herself to break the bond'_ I must do it. It is not possible to live the rest of my life with Renata hanging on my heels. I want to be strong and I want to shed the pathetic image that I show everyone. I must do it.

I felt several waves of calm wash over me when my musings disturbed me too much. I chanced a look and saw Jasper looking back, smiling sadly but with so much affection towards me that it warmed my heart. I tried to concentrate on what was going on and I saw that Aro – again - was giving his testimony to the court about what he had seen in Edward's thought's. I did not want to know, it was hard enough to feel it and I did not needed to hear someone explain to the public what had happened between us.

Feeling tired, I leaned against Demetri's shoulder. He had sat on my other side, maybe to offer me comfort. He said nothing, just turned his body slightly for me to be more comfortable. He was so different from what I had been told. Everyone here was. No one had even once mistreated me or abused me. No one had insulted me or acted in any way that could hurt me. It is not as if they were all fuzzy and cuddly creatures. No. I had no illusions. Every single one of them was lethal. But they had not hurt me. And even if they were not overfriendly, like the Cullen's, they still showed some care and consideration for me. Renata had been nice, and Demetri had been caring. Aro had been very friendly and Marcus…well…that one was just a big enigma. Suddenly I knew that I could find a home in here. That I could have friends and that I would not be alone. It was not ideal but it was not bad.

Without meaning to, my eyes drifted back to Marcus who was staring right back at me. He sat like a king in his throne, and the sight of him made my insides churn as my heart constricted to the sight of him. He was not handsome, not by a long shot but there was something about him that drew me to him in a way that was almost impossible to resist. The longer I looked at him the more I could see his subtle beauty though. He seemed to have a spectacular body. I had felt that chest against me and _let me tell you_, it engulfs me. His wavy, long, black-as-sin hair was simply amazing. Women all over the world would kill to have his hair; his face was well-shaped and defined. His jaw was strong and his lips were thin but _oh, so kissable_. He looked like a stern man and I doubt that a smile would come easily to him. His aura was one of power, of demanding respect and obedience but also loyalty. I believe that you needed to work to earn a smile or praise from him. All in all, he was nothing of what I would think that may attract me to a man, especially after the perfect, ethereal beauty that was Edward, but I could not fight the attraction and the effects that this man had on me.

My clothes still smelled of him and it comforted me in a most primeval way. This was the man that '_owned_' me. This was the man that had touched me in the most intimate of ways. The first man to ever have touched me that way. And the man that I had not even thought to resist. I blushed when I recalled his hand between my legs and his passionate kiss and, as if he knew what I was thinking, his shaped lips half turned into the sexiest smirk that I have ever seen on a man's mouth. That small smirk spoke of pleasures to come that I had only ever dreamt of before now…before him.

Feeling all hot and bothered by his gaze on me, I grudgingly unlocked my eyes from his and tried to tune in what Aro was saying:

"He tried to hide it, but as I searched his thoughts last night, after breaking his defenses, I saw how he did it. I saw how he used Carlisle's research for his own gain. I saw how he had mastered the technique and how he was just waiting for the perfect woman to appear. Using the combination of the pheromones that we use to lure our prey and the dazzling effect of our eyes, he subjugated young Isabella's mind." He paused and my mind went to all those times that his scent almost intoxicated me and how his eyes seemed to burn into mine, making me do anything he wanted. It did not help the nausea that was building in my body. Aro continued when he saw the horrified faces of everyone in the room.

"He made the split-second decision to make her his mate when he saved her from being crushed by a van in the school yard, and his body immediately reacted to his wish, producing the mating pheromones. When she was down and still very shaken by the accident he managed to impregnate her skin with his pheromones. She must have felt very dizzy but as a human she did not know what this was. The effect of those chemicals on the human mind is highly addictive, especially if there is skin to skin contact. That single touch on her face while she was lying down made her skin absorb all that it was necessary to start the procedure of the "_reclusione di un'anima"_ and with his dazzling abilities he took her as girlfriend and mate and he sealed his fate. The actual physical mating could not happen but she could not resist him, her mind and will, weaken by all the chemicals circulating within her body and so she believed herself in love." He took a deep breath and continued.

"From then on, it was only a matter of giving to Isabella's skin a daily dose of pheromones to complete the bond. During one whole month he pretended to ignore her during the day to avert suspicion from his family, but at night – which he spent in her room without her knowledge, as she was sleeping…" This was met by an angry growl from Marcus, and Aro looked apologetically at his brother before continuing. "He would climb through her window and…" he swallowed and looked at me, pity clear in his eyes. _What is coming?_ I thought to myself.

"He would flood her human system with them, causing her to see nothing more than him. Eventually she was would become obsessed with, and completely addicted to, his scent. After her daily inoculation of mating pheromones, he would drink small amounts of her blood to further their connection and to satiate in some way his need for her blood." Gasps and growling echoed from all around the room. Marcus was growling, his teeth barred over his lips looking ready to kill Edward. Jasper and Emmett were being held back by Volturi members, and were yelling insults at Edward while the rest of the Cullen's seemed too surprised and horrified to do anything but to stare at Edward. I did not look at him. I could not. It was too much. _Too much._ How did I love such a monster? He made our whole story such a sordid affair. I was so ashamed even though it was not my fault.

Aro looked at me. "Isabella, the lovely human sat over there, is his 'la tua cantante' his singer. Her blood is Edward's drug and impossible to resist. He did not want to appear weak to his family, and he cherished the admiration that they bestowed upon him for his control, so he pretended to resist the temptation. Not even Mrs. Whitlock's gift alerted her for his night activities. For them he just stayed in Isabella's room watching over her sleep. If we would look closely to the underside of her arms and legs we would notice thin, clean cuts almost invisible to the human eye. It is not a place where one would look and they healed pretty quickly because they were not deep. He would disinfect them after he tasted small amounts of her blood, and for her it would seem like she had just scratched herself on something. He only drew very small amounts of her blood and he kept all venom at bay from her blood stream as he knew that she could not be turned. That is also the reason why he wanted to indulge himself during the Phoenix incident, where he sucked the venom of the nomad out of her body before she could change." I just nodded numbly, knowing that he was right. I never noticed anything and I always thought that those scratches were due to my klutzy nature. Aro turned to the assembly.

"After the month that he spent strengthening the first part of the bond, Isabella already had huge amounts of our chemicals in her body and he could go for the final step. He approached her, initiating physical, conscious contact. He used his dazzling abilities to subjugate her will to his. The process was completed when he kissed her on their first date, binding his fate to her. He continued with his behavior keeping her always by his side, staying in her room at night and isolating her from normal human contact, until, afraid for her safety and of his desire to mate fully with her, he decided to go away, manipulating his family into doing his bidding, and leaving her alone to face her destiny. Without him close by, she fell apart and nearly died of grief, as did all of the human women that were put in her situation in the past, dragging with them many times the exposure for our kind and risk for their families. That was one of the reasons why the practice was forbidden as you all know."

There were nodding and whispered murmurs all around the room. Me? I was too numb for what I was listening to have full affect on me.

Angus hit the floor with his staff. "The statement is true."

Aro addressed the court again.

"I do not think that we need to have Isabella Swan's testimony now. She already told this court all that happened and in all of this she is a victim. For the next testimonies I would like for young Isabella to exit the room as it is already late and she needs some rest." He smiled at me and I knew that it was because they were afraid that Edward might cause problems and they wished to spare me. I already knew what he was going to say anyway, he had said it when things were discovered and he fought Marcus. I really needed a break and I could see that it must be late. I got up and followed Demetri out of the room gladly, holding Renata's hand. _I am so tired of this!_

Before the door closed I heard Angus thick Scottish accent.

"I call the testimony of Edward Cullen. Remove his restraints." And then the huge door closed and I heard nothing more. I wonder how long it will take.

"May I pick you up? I was ordered to take you to Master Marcus quarters." I was shaken from my stare at the beautiful door by Demetri's soft voice.

I nodded and he picked me up bridal style running through the same halls, doors and corridors that crossed the castle.

We stopped inside Marcus beautiful room and Demetri put me down.

"There is a meal for you on the table by the fireplace and a change of clothes for the night on the bed. This part of the trial will continue throughout the night; the entire Cullen coven will have to testify." I nodded as I smelled the sweet lovely scent of pasta carbonara and my stomach growled startling Demetri.

"What time is it?" I asked, hoping to divert his attention.

"The tower clock struck 19.00 twenty minutes ago." Wow, 7:20 pm, we had been in there all day. No wonder I was feeling stiff and tired.

"You should eat, take a bath and get some sleep. Someone will come in the morning to wake you and to take you to the House of Law." He smiled at me and walked to the door.

"You are safe Isabella, Renata will stay outside all night, but you can lock the door if you want. Only Master Marcus has the spare key." With that he walked out and gently closed the door.

I don't know how long I just stood there, the events of the day taking his toll on my mind. The whirlwind of my emotions had physically exhausted me and I wanted nothing more than to sleep. Numbly I walked to the bathroom and I noticed that as I walked in, the bathtub began to fill. _That is so nice!_ I thought to myself. I took my bath quickly, marveling at the sheer beauty of this bathroom and not even half an hour later I was seated in front of the fireplace, a black satin, very, very short nightgown on my body eating ravenously a delicious carbonara. I saw the room light up and noticed that a huge storm was brewing outside.

I shivered as the first drops of heavy rain started to beat the glass ceiling. I finished eating and gave the room another look around to see if I could find more clothes, but nothing was in sight. It bothered me that there was no underwear when I got out of the bath and my former clothes were nowhere in sight, so there was nothing I could do. The bath and food did wonders for my depleted energy, but all I could think about was to climb into bed and sleep this day away. And that is what I did. I pulled back the covers and lay down in red silk sheets, pulling the covers back to cover me. It was heaven. I was being lulled into sleep by the heavy rain that fell on the roof. I was warm and this bed was just heaven. And with that thought I just slipped into nothingness.

I turned and snuggled closer to something hard and smooth that smelled so much of green and forest. Consciousness was coming to me slowly as I realized that someone or something was in bed with me. As I opened an eye and then another and saw a pair of red irises looking back at me. I yelped and made a motion to escape but strong arms held me still.

"Shhhh…stay still. Don't move, " he whispered. I looked back at him and I saw his eyes darkening by the second as if he was hungry. The look on his face was like nothing I had ever seen before and I did not even have time to register it when, with a growl, he crashed his lips to mine, tasting me all over. His kiss was mind-blowing to say the least and I lost myself in him and in his taste.

"You are absolutely delicious when you awake. And you smell wonderfully when you are warm from sleep." He growled against my lips and the sound of it went straight to my center of my body. I saw him inhale deeply before attacking my mouth with renewed vigor. Within seconds my nightgown was in shreds but I could not think on anything but this man. I knew that I was naked as his hands roamed all over my body, touching me in ways no man had touched before. He was not kind or gentle. Oh no. He took from me what he wanted and I just let him. I knew that once this was over I would have the marks of his hands on me. But I couldn't care less about that. Not when he was creating the most wonderful sensations in my body. My body was a stranger to me now. I saw myself responding to every touch, caress, tug and lick that he gave me. His hands, his mouth and his tongue were everywhere at the same time and I was completely okay with it.

I just let him show me how much he wanted my body. Shamelessly, all my inhibitions and shyness forgotten in the pleasure and mastery of his tongue and fingers. It was as if I had been doing this all of my life instead of this being the first time that I was so exposed to a man…that I was being pleasured by a man. I just gave him what he wanted and he took pleasure in seeing me beg for him, for his mouth, for his tongue as he teased me mercilessly. My throat soon was hoarse from screaming my bliss and pleasure for anyone to hear.

Sometime later – I don't know how long – I came down from my high and he was holding me too him with a smug smirk on his lips. Shame immediately flooded me as I thought of how I had behaved moments ago with him. I tried to back away from him, but to no avail. His hands and arms held my naked body against him in a tight grip.

"I see that you still don't accept your fate, my beauty. We will address this matter later, but for now I want you to get dressed and to be ready." He got out of bed pulling me with him, and in the most natural way I had ever seen he shed his clothes from him, throwing the remains to a corner. I could not believe how at ease he was in standing butt naked in front of me. I could not, not even for the life of me, take my eyes away from him.

He was simply magnificent. There was no other word for it. I forgot my own nakedness as I looked at his glorious body. If I thought that Edward was the perfect male specimen I was wrong. Edward was a boy, a teenage boy. I had seen his body on the beach in one of our dates and he had nothing on Marcus. It was like comparing water and wine. Where one had a body that was eternally young, tall but lean with only whisper of adulthood; the other had been a grown man when he was turned. Where Edward's body showed a life of wealth and privilege, where he had never needed to work a day in his life, Marcus body showed the opposite, a human life lived thousands of years ago where he had to work hard or to fight to survive. I stood there mesmerized at the way his muscles twitched and moved.

He had sparse raven black chest hair and I blushed wildly when my eyes followed the path of raven hair down until I saw his member. My heartbeat picked up and in my mortification I let out a gasp. THAT could not be normal. I mean, I know that it was my first live one, but they are not supposed to be THAT big, _are they?_ The penis that I had seen in magazines and in the educative films that Renée brought home to educate me, were NOTHING like this. They were not this large or this long. _Or this beautiful_. I heard a small growl and I hastily lifted my head to look at Marcus. He was staring right back at me, a huge smile on his face, his eyes black. In a second he was behind me, his mouth on my ear, and his hands on my waist pulling me to him.

"Don't worry, little one. It will fit inside of you and it will make you scream in pleasure. Now hurry."

'_Kill me now! Just kill me now! Please God, now it would be a good idea.'_ I thought to myself in my mortification. Even my toes were red.

He went to the closet and chuckling handed me a dress. In a hurry I grabbed the clothes from him, using it to shield my body from his eye. _Great! Another dress_! This dress was of a deep royal purple. I must say that it was beautiful. Its sleeves were in black lace. The same black lace covered the dress completely and made an amazing contrast with the purple. He was completely dressed by the time I looked at him. He had a pair of black ballerinas in his hands and he looked at me waiting for me to get dressed.

"I hum…need some bra…" _Yes…a lightning bolt through my heart now, God!_

"You won't need them." His face frowned when he saw me ready to argue. "I will have no discussion on this matter. Even though I like knowing that you have nothing underneath your clothes, I really had no time to order any. Now, hurry. You have 5 minutes." I sighed in defeat as he set the shoes by me and went to the door. In a hurry I put on the dress feeling awkward and uncomfortable not having anything underneath my clothes. It left me feeling quite vulnerable. He was by my side an instant later with what it looked like a small tray of food.

"Eat. We must go." He sat the tray in front of me. There was a cup of coffee and a croissant. I ate the croissant and drank the coffee in no time. They were both delicious. In no time I was in Marcus strong arms, Renata behind us and rushing towards the dark corridors and halls until we reached the House of Law. Marcus put me down and took my face in his hands pulling me closer to him.

"We are going to pass sentence to Edward. He will be bound but he will not be blindfolded or gagged and I believe that he will try once again to assert his power over you. Do not look at him in the eyes and keep a hand on Renata at all times. She will shield you. Demetri will protect you if necessary. Once it is over I will take you to see the Cullen's."

"I would like that. I have something's that I would like to say to them." He pecked my lips and turned to open the doors. Demetri was by my other side in an instant and led us to our former place on the far wall. As I passed the Cullen's I caught Jasper's eye. He inhaled deeply and then he winked at me. _Strange!_ I glanced briefly at Alice but she only smiled sadly at me. I refused to lock eyes with the others. Their abandonment still hurts.

I had not failed to notice all the whispers and murmurs that went through the room when we got in and I could feel all eyes turned towards me. I kept my eyes on the ground as I walked. I did not want to feel the pity stares on me. As I passed in front of Edward – careful of not looking at him - I heard his sharp intake of breath as he let out a roar and struggled to get free. It startled me and I leaned closer to Demetri for protection. He just picked me up and a second later he sat me down on the far away bench, standing by my side and shielding me from Edward's eyes.

"Nooo, what have you done to my mate?" Edward screamed as he tried to break the chains holding him. His face was a mask of hate and pain while he screamed at Marcus, who was looking at him impassively. "You monster you have defiled her, she reeks of you, you took advantage of her innocence. I will kill you…I will kill you…" His rage turned into earth shattering screams that echoed around the room. Jane was looking down at him with a sadistic smile on her face.

"Jane dear, please stop. I am sure that Edward will behave himself from now on." Aro said, waving his hand and Jane nodded. Edward stopped screaming and stayed on the floor moaning pathetically.

"No…no…defiled…lost…"He kept whimpering. _Huhh? What does he mean?_ I looked at Renata with a questioning gaze. She smiled and leaned in my ear.

"You smell of sex and Master Marcus. We all smelled it when you came in." She said and I could hear the amusement in her voice. _Oh. My. God_! I had forgotten about their enhanced senses. I must be beacon advertising to the whole room what I have done earlier. I groaned and I felt my body react to my shame as my face heated up in a blush and my soul filled with mortification. Demetri chuckled.

"Little one, there is nothing to be ashamed of. But blushing like that only enhances the smell that you carry." _Kill. Me…Just…Kill me now._

I just sunk into my mortification and shame Angus struck the floor with his staff making me jump.

"EXSISTO VERITATIS VERBUM NOSTRUM, PECTUS PECTORIS IUSTUS NOSTRUM ET ANIMUS SEDO SURSUM NOSTRUM INTEREA DUM IUDICIUM ISTE!" But now I knew that he would translate it and what that meant. I peered over Demetri at Edward. He was being held on his knees by two Volturi guards and had been gagged again.

"May our words be true, our hearts just and our souls serene as we pass this judgment!"

Angus turned to the dais and I wondered how many times he had done this in this life. His moves and words were exactly the same as they were when he passed the Cullen's their sentence.

"We have listened to all parts involved. Truth was spoken by all. Consilius ex Senioris*, how do you judge the Edward Cullen on the accusation of breach of secrecy and of the use of the illegal procedure of the "_reclusione di un'anima"_?"

Caius stood.

"Guilty!"

Aro stood.

"Guilty!"

Marcus stood.

"Guilty!"

One by one all of the men in the Council of Elders stood and rendered the same verdict as they had done with the Cullen's.

I chanced a look at Edward's way and saw that there was no way that he was going to accept this decision. His face held nothing but anger and contempt towards the vampires that were in this room. Faintly I heard Esme's heartbreaking sobs but I decided to ignore them. She had left me too, without a word of consolation or a goodbye.

Aro stood again.

"Edward Cullen, you have been found guilty. Your interactions with Isabella Swan were wrong and illegal. As you are aware your actions would usually grant you the death penalty, but Carlisle Cullen has begged for mercy on your behalf. We, the Volturi are not the cruel and merciless coven that you believe, and that you so often take the time to insult. We have decided to grant you some mercy, taking into account that you were too young when you were turned and therefore your emotional age doesn't accompany your real age." He was serious when he said this and he looked at Carlisle, a mixture of regret and pain in his face. I realized that this man, this vampire was pained by all this.

"We, the Volturi and the Council have decided that the bonds that link you to the Cullen coven are to be broken. You will be bound to our friends of the Romanian Coven by his leader Vladimir for the next two hundred years where you will integrate their guard. After the end of your sentence you are to come to Volterra for another evaluation of your case." Gasps came from all over the room and I saw that Demetri had a gleeful expression on his face. I looked at Carlisle and he and Esme were hugging each other, their bodies expressing the sadness and pain of this decision. Emmet and Jasper had mostly indifferent faces but their mates looked pained and fearful. To me it seemed as if the Cullen family was breaking to pieces right before my eyes.

I heard murmurs and some restlessness in the audience and Aro lifted his hand to calm them down.

"Edward Cullen, you haven't until now shown any regrets concerning your actions and you still covet what is not yours to covet. You have interfered with one of the most sacred laws of our kind and, even if unknowingly, you tried to steal another vampire's mate as Isabella Swan is to be mated to another vampire." _Uhu? ...you are my mate…_Marcus words from yesterday echoed in my mind. No, it is impossible. With all of my might I stepped away from that disturbing memory and tuned in on Aro's words. "…you are lucky to be alive for that is a crime without forgiveness, but her intended mate has decided to show you leniency, as long as you follow your sentence. You are forbidden to leave the Carpathian Mountains without being accompanied by a senior member of your coven, even if it is to hunt. You are to follow their rules and traditions without question. You are banned from coming to Italy for the next fifty years and after that you will only come when invited and when accompanied by your new masters." Aro paused and from the audience I could hear faint murmurs of approval. "Every human interaction will be forbidden for you, except for when hunting for the duration of your sentence. Maybe now that you will be bound to the most traditional and strict coven of our world you will understand why we have rules and why we are obliged to respect them. Any contact with your former coven and any of their members will be forbidden under penalty of death. We hope that this sentence may help you grow up and mature emotionally." Aro looked meaningfully at Edward, before taking his seat.

Angus stepped forward and at a nod from him two guards approached and took hold of a struggling Edward. Five other guards positioned themselves in front of the Cullen's. I watched in fascination as a woman in a black cloak approached Edward and focused strange, wide red eyes on him, until his struggles eased and he just stood there with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Then, one of the red cloaked men got up from the Council seats and headed for Edward. I saw as if in a slow motion movie, two pure white as snow hands grab Edwards head and then he slid to the floor like a rag doll, as if he was unconscious. Two huge vampires dressed in black suits and long hooded black cloaks came forward and putting a knee on the ground bowed their heads in submission at the red-cloaked one.

"Master Vladimir, what are your orders?" The red-cloaked man, Vladimir lowered his hood and I gasped. The vampire was old. Of that I was sure. His head had not a single hair on it and if I did not know better I would take him for a blind man. The slight milky film that Aro and Marcus eyes had was increased tenfold in him, to the point that I could not see the color of his eyes from where I stood. I could only guess that it would be deep red. His skin was ghostly pale and his lips were the deepest red that I have ever seen. I had to check myself a couple of times. If his cloak wasn't red I would think that I was looking at Dracula.

"Take our new friend to our plane. His bonds to his former coven are cut and he is already bonded to us. Keep him company at all times; he is not to be left alone. We will leave in an hour for our beloved Transylvania." With a simple wave of his hand he dismissed them. They got up, grabbed Edward's limp body and in a heartbeat they were out of sight.

Angus struk the floor with his staff and spoke but what he said was lost to me. I did not know how to feel. I noticed that Renata was no longer touching me but she was still by my side. Edward was gone from my life, but what was I supposed to do with the mess he had left behind? I looked deep inside of me and could find neither the pity nor the compassion towards him. The hole in my chest and the pain, and the love for him were still in me, but I could live without him. I would find in me the will to find this compulsion he provoked on me. He and his selfish beliefs and lack of maturity had caused all this. He had cost me my life and my family. I would never again see Charlie, Renée, Jake, Angela or Phil. He had cost his family their independence and unity. I looked around and saw that it was over. Vampires were gathered in small groups talking. I could not see the Cullen's; they must have already been removed from the room. No one was paying much attention to me and suddenly I started to feel very lonely, here, in this cold room, surrounded by beautiful immortal people. Now that this was over what would become of me?

A cold hand appeared in front of me and the wonderful scent of green…and wet forest and my brain made the connection as I took a lungful of it. _Marcus._ My heart immediately picked up speed and I felt the familiar blush spread all over my body.

"Come, little one. I will let you say your peace to the Cullen's. Then you and I will retire. We have much to talk about." He took my hand in his and gently pulled me to my feet. I saw that several groups of vampires had stopped their talks and looked at us curiously. I focused on my feet and let Marcus pull me towards the exit door.

Once outside, he let go of my hand. He put a finger under my chin and lifted my head.

"I am very proud of how you managed to behave yourself in there, my Isabella. Renata will no longer be shielding you. Now it is your fight and I know that you will win. I have faith in you and in your strength. We will all help you." He looked intensely into my eyes and lowered his head until his lips were just a breath away from mine. I don't know why, but the thought that I was no longer shielded did not register. I could not even feel the hole in my chest. I was lost in his deep, red eyes and in the emotion behind it. I felt like he could swallow me whole and I would be okay with it. _Who is this man and what is this thing that he does to me?_

He exhaled and I felt dizzy. His scent was so strong, so good, and so wonderful. It made my mouth water and without even thinking of it I closed the small distance between our lips. Wonderful shivers ran through me as he took my mouth with a ferocity that I had never felt before. He just pressed his body as close to mine as he could and I could feel what this kiss was doing to him. I felt his hand going down and lifting the hem of my dress, and then it was between my legs, gently sweeping the moisture that was in there, and the coolness of his fingers and his slow moves made me moan into his mouth and making him sigh.

He stopped the wonderful things that he was doing and that had me wantonly bucking against his hand and a whimper came from my mouth. He took his lips from mine and rested his forehead against mine.

"Not now, young one. Later. The Cullen's are waiting." That sobered me up, but I could not even start to feel the shame that usually accompanied all of my interactions with this man as he, in a split second picked me up and wrapped my legs around his waist. I noticed that he had maneuvered my dress in a way that allowed him to firmly plant his hands on my bare ass. As I looked at his face the look on it made me blush a deep red. It was a feral, intense look and it made my toes curl. He was breathing deeply and his tongue was peeking through his lips as if he tasted something. I lowered my eyes as he took some deep breaths and seemed to compose himself.

With a sigh he took off towards what seemed to be the surface. We came to a halt in front of a beautiful black door. He put me down and then backed me against the stone wall, pressing his body against mine. His face was intense and passionate and his eyes burned possessively.

"MINE. YOU ARE MINE, ISABELLA."He growled as he rolled his hips against me.

He pulled my hair to the side and I gasped as I felt his wet tongue make a path on my neck. I know that I should be afraid, but I wasn't. I couldn't be. Deep down, I had a small voice saying that he would never hurt me. Never! And once again, I could not, for the life of me, understand how I knew that.

"I will be with you when you talk to them. You are mine and I don't take kindly to you being touched by non-authorized males. Say what you have to say now because it will be a long time before you will see most of them."

I nodded. I would never dare to disobey this man. Not when he was like this. I may be impulsive and reckless at times but this entire ordeal has taught me something. I am in charge of my life and my well being and in this new world I must think twice before acting.

He opened the door and in front of me – looking as tired and worn out as a vampire could be – stood a broken and pained Cullen family.

A/N I am sorry for taking so long to update, but I have been very busy and because of it I manage to broke a finger so it is kind of hard to type now, but I hope that you like it.

**Do you think that Edward's punishment was fair? Will Bella be able to overcome their bond now that she is no longer shielded? Is Marcus what Bella needs? Remember to REVIEW.**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. **The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story**. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I do this just for fun.

**Letsjustdance** took the time to help me and my sometimes bad English. Thank you sweetie.

**I published an O/S called Inevitable. If you like J/B pairing go read it and tell me what you think. It starts when Bella goes to the baseball field with the Cullen's and Victoria, James and Laurent want her for a late afternoon snack.**

**Ad Vitam Aeternum**

**Chapter 7**

**Isabella POV**

I made no move to go inside as I looked at them. They seemed surprised as if they were not expecting me, which was a bit strange. After all, Marcus's performance just a few seconds ago was bound to have been heard by them. They just stood there silently with painful, sorrowful expressions on their faces. Six beautiful, even if very disheveled faces that I had missed so much, in what appeared to me to be another life. I suddenly found myself unable to speak, feeling like if a hand was grabbing my heart and squishing it.

These people had been as close to me as family. I had loved them and felt comfortable around them, longing for the day that I would be one of them. To me they could do no wrong, they were as perfect inside as they appeared outside and I tried with all of my strength to be worthy of them until their callous actions shattered my world.

They had abandoned me without a single word. Discarded me as if I was nothing and had no feelings. I felt anger. Anger at them for leaving me alone and helpless, anger at them for not caring enough for me to at least say goodbye, and anger at them because they just threw the love and care I felt for them in my face when they sided with Edward.

I took a deep breath to steel myself and went inside hearing the soft click of the lock when Marcus closed the door. I was all too aware of him standing close behind me. His aura surrounded me and knowing that this powerful, mysterious man, that attracted me like a moth to a flame, and whom a few days ago I didn't even know existed, was here with me, gave me the necessary strength to face my past, to confront the people who had hurt me deeply and to find the closure that I needed. I silently thanked him for understanding that this was my fight, and to let me fight it.

It was evident by the Cullen's stances that we were interrupting a heated discussion. Emmett was holding Rosalie back as she was lashing out at someone. She was evidently furious, but I noticed a desperation in her that was not a match to the bitchy, arrogant woman that I always had known. Emmett's usually playful face was creased with what appeared to be a mix of anger, longing and shame.

Alice was by the fireplace, on her knees, her arms up in a pleading position. Her eyes were red and swollen as if she had been crying and the look of desperation on her face was like nothing I had ever seen. Not even when we were racing towards Volterra was she this desperate or this defeated. She tried to give me a weak smile and it struck me that something was very wrong when I saw that Jasper was on the opposite side of the room, apart from the whole family, his face still ferocious as he glared at them. He looked at me briefly and his tense posture softened, a small smile lingering in his lips before he went back to his glare.

Carlisle and Esme were in each other's arms and they were seemingly the target of the rage of Emmet, Rosalie and even Jasper. Their sorrowful faces told me the intensity of the devastation that they felt at the ordeal that their family was living. With a clarity that I had never felt before I saw that these people were not perfect. They were flawed, just like every human. They had put their faith in an apparently know-it-all boy who made a mess of things.

At first no one made a move to come to me but then I was violently pushed behind a growling Marcus and I heard the sound of crushing boulders. As I peeked around Marcus all I saw was Emmet sprawled on the floor near Jasper, a confused look on his face. I saw Jasper scowling at Emmet as he helped him stand from the floor and hissing:

"Damnit Em! I told you not to do that. You must not touch her." Emmet looked at me a chastised look on his face.

"Sorry." This only earned him another snarl from Marcus.

"She is mine." Marcus snarled to them.

Emmet lifted his arms in a surrendering motion and carefully, so as not to further upset the lethal vampire in front of me moved towards Rosalie, wrapping his arms around her. I noticed that all of them stood perfectly still, their heads lowered and looked very subdued. I stood still, not wanting to enrage even more the possessive vampire that was in front of me even more. A few minutes passed before he was comfortable enough to drop his protective stance and step aside.

I just looked at them, especially Carlisle and Esme, waiting for them to make a move. I was feeling hardened by now. I had gone through so much in the last few last months that could I almost feel the shreds of the naïve, shy, inexperienced, forgiving girl that I had been being peeled away, leaving behind a much more demanding and somewhat crueler person behind.

Carlisle was the first to make a move. He looked above my shoulder as he approached us.

"Master Marcus, may I say a word to Isabella?" I kept staring at him as he asked permission to talk to me. I was used to it by now. With the Volturi things were formal and very, very different.

"Thank you Master. Bella, my family and I are terribly sorry for what you have been through. I know that you must be upset with us, and we understand. I am deeply sorry and I hope that you can forgive us one day because we never stopped considering you as family."

I heard Jasper snort softly and once again my heart went out to him. He was the only one honest in this bunch.

I looked into their eyes and saw that they really were sorry and that in their naive way they really thought that asking for forgiveness was the same as being forgiven. Well, it was good to know that they were sorry. But being sorry wasn't enough for them to say goodbye, nor was it enough to contact me in seven months. Better yet, when they thought that I had drowned myself the only one to come to see what had happened and comfort my father had been Alice. None of the others came with her.

I looked Carlisle straight in the eye. I wanted answers. But I also wanted to get it into their thick heads that the way they treated me wasn't right. That loving someone, treat a person like if she was important and that they cared for her well being, welcoming her into their family and then simply disappearing without a word, was wrong. That letting a teenage boy make decisions for them was wrong, that they had no idea of what it meant to be a family and that they were a mockery of one and that they had ruined my life.

I took some breaths to calm down. These last thoughts had worked me into a fury.

"Having you ask to be forgiven is nice. For so long I dreamed of it, Carlisle…but" he didn't let me continue, eager to continue and to try to make amends.

"I know we hurt you deeply, but as I am sure that Alice already explained to you, we thought that we were helping you in the long run, we really took it to a vote and almost everyone thought that Edward was right and that your life would be better off without us." I didn't miss the almost part, I would clear that up later.

"Better without you…" I muttered almost to myself but knowing that they would hear me.

"Well, I can try and see your point…that you leaving like you did was best for me," I answered him seemingly deep in thought and I could see his posture relax a bit…"I guess being dumped in the woods by a man who used some kind of vampire mojo to enslave my soul in a love that wasn't true, being told that he was tired of me and that I was a nothing more than a distraction to all of you, and that you all had already gone because you all wanted a clean break, without even saying goodbye to me, feeling like I was worthless and useless, and like if all I had been for you was a human pet, was really, really better for me.". My voice had gotten louder by the end, and they all were surprised.

"We didn't think…" I didn't even let him finish, manners be damned, I had much to tell them all, "Oh, I know that you didn't think…I think that that has been the problem of your coven. You don't think for yourselves, you let the majority make the decisions. Who were you to make decisions on my behalf without even consulting me? Was I that worthless to you?" I looked at all of them, taking in their shame and shock and as they opened their mouths to deny what I had just said, I held my hand up; I wanted to call them on their actions. It must have been a long time since someone called the Cullen's out on their actions.

"Worst yet, why did you let Edward make decisions for me, for you? Jesus, all of you are older than him. If not in vampire age, in human years. Yet he decided to leave me like he did, like if I was an animal that didn't deserve anything, because he got frightened and feared the consequences of what he did to me, and who pays? ME! I have been barely able to sleep in fear of what could happen to my family with Victoria on the loose! I lost all of my friends! People thought I was crazy! I paid for your mistakes, I paid for your reckless behavior. I paid your debts!" I took a deep breath and felt Marcus calming touch on my lower back. It was incredible how aware of him and of his presence I was always. It was like if he had this magnet that was my compass.

"We thought you were mates, it was his right to decide…" I didn't allow the sobbing Esme to continue. I heard the low growl coming from Marcus and swiftly I reached my hand back, and gave the one that was on my back a light squeeze.

"Well, that is amazing! Really! So if he was a wife beater, or an abuser, you would let it pass because he was my SUPPOSED mate? No Esme, you are deluded about many things, and I have been learning a lot since I came here. You have this weird idea of what a family is and you try to act like humans do but you aren't human. You didn't think that it would hurt me horribly to lose a family where I had felt so welcomed? You didn't think that I was going to lose the only friends that I had, because Alice and Edward monopolized so much of my time that I had no one else? You didn't think that you would be leaving me and my family at the mercy of a psychopath vampire who wanted to avenge her mate, dead by your hands?"

"Edward said…"

"FUCK EDWARD…Think with your brain for once, even I know now that he is not an all mighty being. He is a seventeen year old boy! And you let him and his gift make your decisions. If you cared about me you would at least have said goodbye. "I could tell that they still wanted to argue but what was the use? They could not see what they had done wrong.

"You know what? I can spend my life here telling you that you are wrong but you won't acknowledge it. That is your problem. You are blinded by your faith in Edward and you will never see anything else. So let me spare your time. I can forgive your ignorance on the soul prison thing…but not the rest. You acted in conscience. You decided to abandon me and now you have to live with it." I glared at them. These guys were incredible in their blindness!

"But you are a kind, forgiving person, Edward only wanted the best for you_…" _My glare shut Esme for good._ Fuck this…_

"I WAS A KIND PERSON…before you fucked up my life! I am done with you guys, maybe in fifty years we can be civil, but for now I can't stand to look at you!"I was tired of all the drama, and it almost hurt to see them trying to defend their actions. They were already in deep shit, and still they were defending Edward's actions. It was over for me. I sighed.

"I won't expect you to understand how much you leaving me like you did hurt me. I spent months in a catatonic state…barely alive, pining for something that wasn't even real, thinking that I was worth close to nothing because you guys turned your back on me as if I was just yesterday's garbage. Did you even though what leaving like that would do to me? To my self esteem?"

By now all of them with the exception of Jasper were looking at the ground. I could feel the thick layers of shame and regret coming from them, but they had no effect on me. I realized that these people were nothing to me at all. I looked at Jasper. I could count on him to tell me the truth. I didn't know why, but he was on my side.

"Who voted on my behalf? I deserve to know, who thought of me as something more than a passing fancy of Edward." He didn't falter and answered immediately.

"Yes Bella, you have the right to know. Alice, Emmett and me. The rest sided with Edward." I saw his jaw clench as he looked to Marcus, and I looked at Emmett. He must have voted to not leave me but in the end he had to follow his mate. I felt my respect for him return a bit. He had not been in an easy position.

And Jasper had voted for me. We were never close but since he got here in a strange and unexpected way I knew that he was on my side. And to know that he had stood by me against his family was one of the only good news that I had. He must have sensed my intrigue and satisfaction as he gave me a small smile and continued.

"I knew it was risky and cruel to leave you alone with the knowledge of our world. And that Victoria would be a threat, but you must realize one thing; being in the Cullen coven means that you have to follow the majority, even if you don't agree with the decision. I rebelled and said that I would stay, but Edward made known that if any of us stayed behind or contacted you, that he would separate from the family and would ask for death somewhere. We wanted at least to tell you goodbye and leave you a means to contact, but again we were outvoted." He clearly was not happy with this. But I could see what he meant. Neither of them had a chance against Edward's black mail. They knew that it would destroy Carlisle and Esme, and ruin the family. It made forgive some of them easier.

"I understand Jasper. And I thank you for your honesty." I turned to Carlisle.

"I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive you and Esme for what you did to me. I know that I won't ever forgive Edward. And I have nothing to forgive Rosalie. You and your family, your actions, made me lose everything I held dear. I won't ever, ever forget what you caused me because you are not happy with what you have become. You hate what you are so much that you make a mess out of everyone's lives. You try to be what you are not and it doesn't work." I ignored the hurt in their eyes. They needed to hear this.

"I hope that once your sentences are fulfilled that you renounce your way of life as a human family and I hope that you stay away from the human world. You have caused enough problems." I was surprised to see a huge amount of pain in Carlisle's eyes and Esme's sobs turned louder, and I turned to Jasper. He must have felt my curiosity.

"It is the vampire law, Bella. Usually the penalty for the exposure to a human is death for the person who exposed our world or for the entire coven. In our case, Master Marcus and Aro agreed that our talents were best put to use, so they showed us mercy. However that mercy has a downside. Usually for lesser faults a coven can continue to live and be together if only some of its members are condemned. But in our case, the entire coven was sentenced. It is a serious affair. It is forbidden to reform a coven with this kind of sentencing. The Cullen family will never again be together and Carlisle is forbidden to turn someone, form another coven or to integrate another coven except the Volturi. The same for us. We may visit each others for some weeks, but we will have to separate and live separate lives forever, we can't even live in the same state," Wow, now I understood.

The sentence had seemed light. Only a few years of service and then they were free. But now I knew. It was terrible. The Cullen family was destroyed. Edward would never come back to them. Esme and Carlisle would have to live alone for eternity living only with the memories of the family they once had, the same as the others. No more family, no more children to repeat high School, no more imitating the human world. For a second I worried about Emmett and Rose, Jasper and Alice, what were they going to do once their punishment was over?

"Don't worry for us Bella. I was getting tired of that life anyway. I was only staying because of Alice and I was pressuring her to leave and go on our own for a while now. I was getting tired of doing nothing productive with my life. I don't like to belong to a coven where my opinion must bend to the majority, and where I am forced to do things that I don't want to do based on the whims of inexperienced boys, and weak coven leaders," he sneered the last word," I for one am happy to take a turn in my life. It is not how I would like it, but I understand my faults and accept them. I may even like it here…you knows?" He smiled, and a wave of assurance washed over me.

I heard some noise outside and Marcus left briefly. I looked at Emmet and saw that he was desperate to speak to me. I gave him a half smile and his whole face lit up. Forgiving him wasn't going to be so hard.

"I am so sorry for all this mess. I never knew. If I had known…I tried to stay, to say goodbye but Rose…" Poor Emmett. I looked at Rosalie who had her eyes filled with venom and looked human, weak and small for a once.

"I never understood why you didn't call me, Bells? I hid that phone and waited for months. Were you so mad at me that you threw my phone number away?" He asked sadly. What was he talking about?

"What number, Emmett? I tried to call all of your numbers and they were all disconnected."

"No, Bells. Edward made us disconnect all the previous numbers. But we got new ones right after. I left you my new ones. Just before we left – I believe that it was two days after your birthday, I went to your room and wrote my new phone numbers in a small paper and hid it in the photo album of your birthday party, under mine and Rosalie's photo. I wanted you to know that I was here for you." It was impossible to doubt his sincerity. _Oh, Jesus…poor Emmett. Damn you Edward! Damn you to hell! You could have spared me months of agony._

I felt tears flood my eyes for the first time since I saw them.

"I never saw them Emmett. Edward took away all gifts that you guys had ever given me and all the photos that I had of you. He took all that could remind me of your family. He left only the photos of my human world. I had nothing to remember you by. I never saw anything. I am sorry." And I was. I could feel their anger at Edward's actions. But I was beyond that. That boy had committed so many cruel actions against me thinking he knew best, that this was just another. Jasper and Alice were growling as Carlisle and Esme were trying to excuse Edward's actions.

"That filthy bastard! He must have found it and destroyed them. Son of a bitch! I will kill that good for nothing motherf…" Emmet was yelling and it brought Marcus back into the room. I was once again airborne and landed behind him as he crouched. His left hand keeping my body close to his.

"ENOUGH!" He bellowed and everyone immediately calmed down.

"You Cullen's are proving to be an endless supply of drama and trouble. Your escorts are here to take you to your new posts. Carlisle and Esme Cullen say your goodbyes and remember the rules." Carlisle and Esme went to each of their once children and tried to hug them but all they got was some glares and quick handshakes. Jasper didn't even bother to acknowledge them.

_What a sad ending_. I had once thought that they were the perfect role model family. I was wrong. They stopped near me and I heard a whispered 'We are so sorry' before they left. I felt nothing; they were not my family anymore. I didn't long to be one of them anymore.

Then it was time for Emmett. He and Rosalie hugged Jasper and promised to see him in the annual reviews. Their goodbyes to Alice were colder and tense. I found it weird but this day had already been so strange. They approached me and I saw Emmett ask permission to Marcus to speak to me. He must have gotten it because I was pulled once again in front of Marcus.

"You are my sister, Bella. I am sorry for what that bastard did to you. I should have protected you and I failed. I will not fail again. My family is my mate, my brother Jasper and my sister Alice. And you, if you want it," he looked at me hopefully.

"I would love that Emmett, as long as Rosalie is okay with that." I would not put more stress on him. I looked at her.

"I have many things to ask your forgiveness Bella. And that will take time. We are going away, but if you would like, I…hum… can give you my phone number and…hum…maybe we can talk from time to time, and maybe get to know each other?"I had never seen Rosalie so humble and nervous. I could give her a try. She had never been false to me.

"I would like that Rosalie. And I thank you for your honesty. If I had been less stubborn I wouldn't be in this mess." She half smiled at me and passed me a small paper. I unfolded it and saw hers and Emmett's numbers as well their email addresses.

"We are not far away Bella. We can talk now. And we will come back every year for a visit. Make sure you are not busy, okay?" He smiled a heartbreaking smile and picking up his mate's hand he left through the door.

Alice got up from the floor and gave Jasper a pleading look that he refused to acknowledge. She reached for his hand and he just stepped aside, leaving her sobbing. She was desperate. What was going on with these two?

"Please Jasper. Please, forgive me. Please!" she begged. Ha…still consequences of Edward's actions.

"Master Marcus, may I have a word with you in private?" Jasper asked ignoring her. It made a shiver go up my spine at the incredible coldness in his voice.

If Marcus was surprised by Jasper's request he didn't show it. He just nodded and they both left us without a second glance.

I approached Alice. She had slid to the floor and was the perfect image of a broken woman. I put my arms around her trying to comfort her. She had voted to stay with me too.

"Oh, Bella. He won't forgive me for what I have done. I have made a terrible mess."

"Alice, he is your mate. He is crazy about you. He may be mad and angry but he will forgive you. You must give him time."

"You don't understand. Jasper isn't the quiet man he was with the Cullen's. He was tamed because of me, because he knew how much I loved to live with them and because I led him to believe that it would be better. I manipulated him, lied to him and hurt him. I betrayed his trust in me and according to vampire tradition he is going to make me pay somehow." Well, this was new to me.

"What traditions Alice? What have you done to Jasper?"

"The Cullen's were an exception by living according to human morals and customs. Vampires and mating is a lot different than what you have seen with the family, Bella. When in natural environment the males dominate the society; they are rough, violent and possessive. It is a much harsher world where their instincts and primal sides roam free. They demand respect from everyone and their honor must not be challenged. We, the females are more controlled; we retain more of our humanity and are shyer in our instincts. We are able o master our instincts and our primal side much easier. " I nodded. I had already seen it with Marcus; he seemed to always have the last word in all of our interactions.

I wasn't even sure of what we felt for each other but he was already all of the above with me and it kind of pissed me off and turned me on. But one thing I knew I didn't want him mad at me. Alice continued.

"When I woke up I knew that Jasper was that way. I saw that we would live alone for a while and then we would integrate a coven in Ireland that lived traditionally. I decided then that I would not be one of those females. That is when I decided to live with the Cullen's because they were so involved with the human world and were so controlled that they had lost most of their instincts. I knew Carlisle, Esme, and Edward would help me keep Jasper in line and to curb his vampire tendencies. My visions of the real vampire world and real mating scared me. I wanted a life with more freedom and power to myself. Vampire society and rules are too tight. Too strict! So I kind of…well manipulated him into staying with the Cullen's. We played with his weaknesses and with his regrets about killing humans so that he couldn't leave." She looked at her hands and I was astonished. Sweet, loving Alice had played and manipulated her mate for over sixty years.

"Oh, Alice, that is so wrong! How could you do that to your love? To your mate? I don't have …I don't want to judge you…but how could you do it?"

"I was scared Bella! I love Jasper with all of my heart but I wanted the life that the Cullen's lead! I wanted them to be my family. If I had not done this Jasper would have made us go away after a few months, when he tamed his bloodlust, and I would lose my family and my freedom to do what I wanted. I couldn't let that happen."

I was sorely disappointed in my friend's actions. Jasper did not deserve this. Jesus, was there anything within the Cullen coven that was clean and pure?

"Alice, I won't pretend that I understand all that you are talking about, but you did wrong. I won't judge you but I won't agree with you either. Nothing justifies lying to and manipulating your soul mate for so long, Alice. He loves you so much, he only ever tried to love and protect you. Even I could see that! Why didn't you talk to him about your fears?"

"I managed to ignore the pain and sorrow I felt in deceiving my mate in the beginning. I wanted to tell him after a while but I was afraid of his reaction so I ignored that he was not happy. Edward, Esme and Carlisle helped me and after a while well and I convinced myself that I was doing the right thing…even if he was miserable. I realized that if he ever knew what I had done he would be very angry with me and so I just shut my mouth. I never thought that this would be discovered. I have broken the vampire most fundamental law 'Honor and respect your mate'." It became clear to me Aro's words in the trial about Alice.

"You can still talk to him, Alice; explain to him why you did what you did. He will forgive you Alice. He loves you." She shook her head.

"You don't understand. It is too late. My manipulations and actions were discovered by Aro and he told him everything, till the last bit. He and the others in here are disgusted with me. Even the women! I made a fool of my mate in front of his kind. Rose and Emmett are even madder. And we are to live here and everyone knows that I didn't respect my mate."She sobbed harder, rocking back and forth. I tried to console her.

"The others don't matter Alice. It is your mate that counts; surely you regret what you have done. He will feel your remorse. He may be mad at you for some time but then he will forgive you." She just shook her head again sadly.

"I have never regretted what I did more than now. When a female makes mistakes like the ones I have done and shame her mate that is heavily frowned upon. I will have no friends in here, Bella. I shamed my mate and lied to him. I cared more about me and my great life than about his happiness; I cared more about Edward's life and stupidity than about my mate's honor. My protection and care for Edward are not accepted in any civil society and I have put you in danger against Jasper's advice. It is a great offense to not honor our mates, to lie to them, to manipulate them. And I did it all. And Aro saw and told jasper. He knows everything now," she sobbed rocking herself back and forth.

"I must be thankful I guess. Aro told the whole true, gruesome story. He told him the reasons. But still, I betrayed my mate's trust in me. The male and the coven will demand for the mated female to be taught a lesson in proper behavior."

"So, when I was coming inside…" they were fighting about that.

"Everyone was mad at me, Edward, Carlisle and Esme. Not only because of jasper. But because all of this mess. Oh, Bella, I can't live without him…he has always honored and respected me…"she wailed and it broke my heart. She had made so many mistakes but I would be by her side. My poor, stupid friend.

I hugged her to me while we waited. She clung to me as if she had nothing else.

"Can't you see anything Alice?"

"Jasper knows how to evade my gift. I see many things but they go away as soon as they come to my notice. He is making split second decisions."

I don't know how much time had passed since they left until Alice tensed. She pushed me away from her and her eyes glazed over as she went into a vision. A blood curling scream came from her as she started screaming:

"No, no…all but that…I am sorry…NOOOOOOOOOOOOO," and then all of her body arched from the floor as she screamed in pain. A second later, before I could reach her she slumped to the ground and didn't move anymore.

"Alice…Alice…"I took her in my arms, she was heavy but I managed to turn her and hold her. She was out cold and I knew that this definitely wasn't normal. I started panicking. I needed help.

"HELP ME…SOMEONE…HELP ME…." I screamed will all of my strength. The door opened and Marcus, Aro, and Jasper came in.

Marcus was in front of me in an instant. He lifted me from the ground and Alice's head just thumped to the ground. No one made a move to help her.

"Help her…she just collapsed…HELP HER! They still did not move. Jasper just looked at her limp form on the ground blankly.

"Jasper, help her….she needs help." He didn't move. His eyes and his posture were cold as ice and I had a feeling that I did not know this man in front of me. Why weren't they doing something?

Marcus approached Alice's form and carefully took her in his arms. He looked at her for a moment and then at Jasper.

"It is done!" he said solemnly.

Jasper nodded, took one last look at her and took off. I stood there dumbfounded looking at the others. How could the loving, caring Jasper be so cold towards his mate?

I felt Marcus approach me. I looked around for Alice and saw her lying in an ottoman chair still unconscious. I looked around and saw that this was a bedroom. Not as luscious as Marcus's bedroom but comfortable. It had a small window, and I could see that the sun was starting to come down. It had a canopy bed, a plush black ottoman in front of a small fireplace, a small desk with a computer on it and a shelf filled with books.

"Come Isabella. It is late and you will need to eat and then rest. Tomorrow we have a lot to talk about."

"But Alice…"

"Alice will awaken in a few hours. She is well, only resting. She is not your concern now. You may see her tomorrow if you come here, these are her quarters." I didn't miss the 'her quarters'.

"Her quarters…? He sighed in frustration, I knew that he was getting upset but I wanted answers. It was not he who answered though.

"You might as well know now. Tomorrow it will be all over the castle anyway. Jasper Whitlock has asked us to break the mating bond between him and Alice Cullen for the next sixty years. He only severed his bond to her not hers to him. He found it impossible to be mated with someone who lied and manipulated him for so long. We agreed with his request because Alice has behaved like a terrible mate and dishonored their love by her actions throughout the years towards him. According to the law and costume she deserves this punishment. If she finds it too hard to live like this and wishes so, she may ask for her mating bond to him to be severed too." I froze. He asked them to make him stop loving her? Was that even possible? Were the Volturi this powerful?

"It is an unusual punishment, but we have done it once or twice. A dangerous one, used for actions like the one's Alice did to her mate. She will have to learn to live without a mate all the while being still mated."

"Will she remember him, their love?" I blurted. I was too astonished to have any control about what was leaving my mouth.

"Of course! It is only his mating bond to her that was cut, not the memories of it. It is almost impossible to completely sever the bonds between mates, but this way it is very effective. To him, she is now just like any other woman without the allure of being his mate. They will remember everything. Alice will find this a hard lesson to learn because she will love him as always. But she dishonored him, betrayed his trust and lied to him all along their life together. Maybe now that he has severed their bond she will give him some consideration and some respect and realizes just what she has lost. Maybe that will put some sense into her and she learns to be a good mate." How could Marcus speak about this terrible thing like this? So cold?

My friend would pine for a man that didn't love her anymore and with whom she was hopelessly in love. She would have to see and work with him and suffer with his indifference. It was unfair and cruel! '_And what she did to him? Wasn't that unfair too? She trapped him in a miserable life, took away his self esteem, lied and manipulated him, made him weak and doubtful of his strength as a man and as vampire.' _A small voice inside my head screamed at me.

I was so confused! How could this be? They were both my friends. I loved them both. But one thing I knew. I would be here for both of them. I would be here for both of my friends, who needed me. And with this thought I felt strength in me that I never felt before. It was good to be needed. It was good to be wanted. I could finally be useful.

I woke from my reverie to see Marcus in front of me looking worried. I went to Alice's side and in what I know was a silly gesture I put a small comforter over her form. I knew that she didn't need it but she would know that she was not alone. With a small kiss to her cold forehead I followed Marcus out of my friend's room.

My day was not over yet.

A/N So, my wonderful readers did you liked it? Was Bella's confrontation with the Cullen's everything that you would like to tell them yourselves? Was Jasper's punishment of Alice too much? Tell me your opinions…they are always welcome.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer. All publicly recognizable characters, settings etc, are the property of their respective owners. **The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story**. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I do this just for fun.

**Letsjustdance** took the time to help me and my sometimes bad English. Thank you sweetie.

_**I created a TWITTER account as Amaris12345. If you want to know what I am doing and the status of my writing ,or my thoughts and interests, search for me and click on the following me. Then send me a tweet saying that you came from FF. I want to hear your thoughts about my stories and share ideas with you.**_

**Ad Vitam Aeternum**

**Chapter 8**

**Marcus POV**

I was seated on my throne observing the interesting patterns that the dust in the air made when the soft tendrils of wind blew across our audience chambers. It was the early hours of the morning and I could hear the small town awake to life. On the eastern part of the castle the sounds of the training of our guard were muffled by the thick walls of this millenary fortress. Emotions were running high within the Volturi coven. Soon it would be time for another feeding and I, as well as the rest of the coven was already a bit hungry.

Heidi was already hunting and tomorrow she would be here. Two human bodies would relinquish their life force for me to live for a month. I was old and I didn't need as much human blood as younger vampires did but I still needed it. I had come to make my peace with it long ago. That was the nature of life. One lives for the other to die. It didn't trouble me to take a life. I had done it all of my life, first as a warrior and afterwards as a vampire. I most certainly would never live the mockery of a vampire life as Carlisle and his bunch of vegetarians did.

I could hear my brothers and their wives talking softly beside me, discussing the strange call we had received a few hours ago from one Edward Cullen, one of Carlisle's supposed sons, asking for a meeting. I did not join them and they did not expect it. They all knew I cherished my space and privacy until I was needed for the affairs of state. I could see that their love, respect and affection for me were as strong as ever, as their bonds shone with the familial love. I knew very well what my race thought of me. They thought me to be weak, barely hanging to existence. To be a lost soul that survived the death of his mate only because Aro had made Chelsea bind me to the Volturi, so that he would not lose my gift.

It was ruse that we indulged in, as no one, except the three of us knew the truth about her death. And so the legend about me began, me being the quiet, depressed, and more humane of the leaders. Because of my rational and less cruel view on life I had the double of requests and petitions made to me. People asked my views and always, always hoped for me to put a word in their favor, as if by having survived a dead mate it made me more accessible to their plights.

Fools.

All of them.

How could they not see that if I was one of three rulers, I was not on their side, but on ours? I always gave my opinion on all matters but I would never, ever turn on my brothers. Because that was what they really were to me. My brothers! Our bonds had been forged by venom, by blood, by war and battle. And they were unbreakable.

Our merciless reputation in the vampire world was built on our belief that absolute, undisputed power is only achieved through fear of the law. Fear brings respect and respect brings obedience to our laws. It could not be any other way with a race as powerful, trouble making, and gifted as ours. But to be worthy of leading such a race we needed to be stronger and capable of enduring everything that they threw our way.

But we also protected the humans in our area of influence, and we soon had understood that the future of our race had to be to hide in the shadows of the human world, only then could we thrive. That was what made our coven worthy of leading the vampire race ever since the Romanian coven, the oldest living coven of our race, stepped down, tired of ruling and of being constantly challenged.

I loved my position as a ruler, as did my brothers. I liked having the power and to use it. I had fought for this for hundreds of years, with blood and venom alongside my brothers. My body held the scars of hundreds of fights for supremacy and honor. I endured a life without my mate for this! For power and for the unity of my coven, for my family! And only death by an enemy's hand would make me abandon my throne and my family.

Our triumvirate was the most powerful that had ever existed on this planet, and we, the three of us, were determined to keep it that way. Three rulers, three voices, three minds, one for strategy, one for war and one for reason, but only one goal; rule vampire race. Only we knew how much we relied on each other, how deep our bond for each others went, and how one's weaknesses were another one's strengths. We only shed our masks in the comfort of our families nest, away from everyone outside. Not even our most trusted guards knew our real faces nor they ever would.

I sighed deeply, thinking of the chores that I had set for today. First we had to deal with the Cullen boy. See what had his pants in a twist and deal with it. Once the audience was over I would go to my lab, situated deep in the dungeons. There I would continue the work that has occupied my mind for the last decades: finding a way to fight the thinning of the ozone layer. Somehow the impossible was happening, and we couldn't believe our eyes when we saw the two vampires that had been in Antarctica in a vacation. They were heavily burnt, having been brought to us by their distraught coven members. After reading their minds Aro discovered that there had been no fire in sight, and no humans around. They had been burnt by something in the sky, invisible even to our kind. We had to put them out of their misery as the damage made to their bodies was irreparable.

It didn't take long to know what happened, as human science had already discovered the problem – the humans and their science were far advanced in that area than we had ever thought- they had been burnt by a huge concentration of UV rays that a temporary hole in the ozone layer had let in. What gave the humans sun burns and skin cancer also burnt our kind in terrible ways if we were directly below one of the holes, our venom acting as an accelerant burning us from the inside when exposed directly to those rays. We had found an enemy and a purpose, and unknowing to humans we started our own fight to prevent pollution and global warming, linked factors in this disaster.

I smiled inwardly as I thought of my other task. My life had some small spots of pleasure besides ruling and science.

By the end of the day I had a pretty little thing waiting for me in my chambers. The image of that naked beauty almost was enough to shake my bad mood. For someone so little the young unmated vampire was a fire ball of sexual energy, willing to endure all that I threw at her. Pity that she only wanted the power and prestige that came with bedding a Volturi master and that she was getting too demanding. Silly creature, who didn't knew her place in our society. We, the Volturi masters, don't share our power, not even with our mates. She was only one of many women that warmed my bed since my mate died and my mourning ended. It was time to get rid of her, and find another to satisfy my needs. Tomorrow morning she would be out of Volterra with the bag that she had arrived with and no memory of the last month. Thank the Gods for Antonin's gift, the most recent acquisition of our guard.

So, here I was, bored. Living a life that presented me only occasionally with something interesting. Little excitement; almost no joy or happiness!

Thousands of beautiful, intelligent, women and men had shared my bed over the millennia after my mate's death, but none interested me longer than the actual sexual act. They passed through my life like flicking flames and left with no trace or second thought. No one had managed to break the shell over my dead heart. I had long conformed myself to live a life without the glory of having a mate. The perfect complement of my soul, the one person made for me and my only.

The one person in the universe that would give my life perfect happiness and love.

These words were linked with my late wife and mate, Dydime. Her gift made everyone happy to be around her. Everyone but her, who viscerally hated what she had become.

How much I missed her still, in spite of her betrayal and insanity, and how much I loathed that I was one of the only vampires in the world that remembered all of his human memories as clear as if it had been yesterday.

I had married her when she was fifteen and I was twenty eight as it was usual at the time between the roman families that were part of the nobility. She was the daughter of an immensely wealthy Etrurian family that had helped the patricians of Rome to remove from the throne of Rome the last Etruscan king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, and helped my father and some other patricians to create the Roman Republic. An achievement that coasted her father's his life. Her older brother and head of the family, Aro, saw her as a tool to have powerful ties to Rome and the new regime. I had a high rank in the army as a commander of my own legion and I was finally prepared to take my father's place in politics when he was sought out by her brother Aro and it was decided that our marriage would be a good thing.

She was a young and innocent little thing that enchanted everyone with her happiness and joy. I loved her as she did me since the first day we met. She was a black raven haired beauty with eyes as blue as the sea and untouched by any man. I could not believe my luck in finding such a treasure and the day of our wedding was a happy one. In our wedding night she gave herself to me totally without the usual tears and screaming of fear of most brides, surprising me. I had been a highly sexual creature and my bed has had some of the most beautiful women and men as it was usual in those times.

There was nothing that I hadn't tried and I liked my lovers to accept all that I gave them. Having a bride capable of enduring all that I was capable of doing in bed was exhilarating and I felt blessed by the God's with my good fortune. But our happiness was short lived. I was there for her when her last close living relative, her brother Aro, disappeared mysteriously one night, a few months after our wedding. Leaving her without any other blood relatives and deeply hurt.

With the pressure from my own father to take the reins of the family and to follow his footsteps into politics soon I left the army to take care of our immense wealth and interests. Our combined fortunes made the Voltur family one of the richest in the Republic and when my own father passed away two years later I was already an influential member of the Senate. Our marriage was fulfilling and happy until she discovered her inability to bear me a child. Children were the biggest gift of a family at that time. Heirs to the family's power, money and prestige they were the ultimate goal of every marriage.

The fact that she was unable to have them made her change slowly. Her perceived failure ate away her heart and she started to lose her reason. Her longing for children became so strong that she brought servants to my bed hoping and begging for me to impregnate them. Two times it worked but once those children were born she couldn't stand to look at them because they were not hers and they reminded her of her failure. I was forced to send those children away, with faithful servants and their mothers to be raised and educated far away from our family's home. Afterwards I forbade her to continue with that folly and that only served to further her obsession.

I took care of my children though. It didn't matter to me that my wife didn't want them around. They had my blood and I would never abandon my own. I tried to be involved in their life as much as I could even though that hurt my wife deeply; I adopted them formally and gave them my family's name – Vultur - insuring that they were known and accepted into society.

Even if I never had any child with my wife my name would go on. They would serve Rome as I did, and be good, strong, useful men and citizens. My oldest – Marco, would go into politics and run the families business and my younger one – Lucian, would have a career in the army. Together they would continue my family's name and ensure that my line would stay strong and live on.

I did not repudiate my wife though. I loved her and stood by her side even when she was scorned by society for being barren. When ten years since our marriage had passed I had already given up on having a child with her, and as it was costume, I had started preparing my sons for their future. I was talking to my wife about my decisions concerning them, when our life changed.

My long lost brother in law came out from the dead on that stormy night. Changed and yet the same as he was when he vanished. Only one change though. Instead of his bright blue eyes so similar to my wife's, he had two, evil, malevolent red ones. He brought with him another demon, one that I had seen many times when I was a young child. I remembered him well; he was a friend of my father's. A young patrician man, known for his military achievements and that had disappeared mysteriously, Caius.

His wife and her family had been executed because foul play had been suspected in his disappearance, since it was well known that they had a very unhappy union. His children with whom I had played had been sent to live with their father's relatives far away from Rome and were never seen again. He hadn't changed a bit since the last time I had seen him, almost forty years ago. He was still young and unearthly beautiful even with the evil red eyes. I hardly remember what happened; I remember the snarls, the huge force that grabbed me from behind and broke my arm and some ribs. I remember fighting weakly against a stone pair of arms and my wife's screams. I remember a sharp pain of teeth biting into my neck, and then I felt like if I was being burned alive in Hades for all the sins against the God's that I had committed in my life. And then I woke up and I had my Didyme with me and we had become something more than humans.

Something powerful and evil.

Aro and Caius showed us a new life, the life of the powerful undead. Aro was lonely and wanted his family with him and decided to seek us out, hoping to convince us to join him. He didn't expect me to be his singer, and only Caius strength and control saved me from dying. But for the sake of my children we decided to move away from Rome until I was in control of my lust for blood.

But my mate was a different matter. She was a wild blood thirsty little thing that only curbed her thirst and learned control five years after our change. So we roamed the known world, learning, fighting, and in my case waiting to be able to go back and to see what had became of my sons. Unlike Didyme, my memories weren't hazy. They were clear as day, and I worried about them.

I never saw them again. When I finally went to look for them, they both had died in a fire a few months after our change. My grief and guilt over their deaths was great. My boys had been my hope for the future. I loved them greatly and I had not been there to help them. My name had died with them. Afterwards it was too painful to live where I had so many memories. We left Rome, never to return.

Our sires showed us how we were now the superior life form and how we were God's in our own right, immortal and all powerful. Aro, Caius and I created the Volturi, based on my old family's name, when I was attacked by a rogue coven of vampires that was terrorizing the tiny town of Volterra.

I destroyed the three monsters that demanded human sacrifices and took over the town. The grateful, simple minds of the town's people saw in me a savior and were grateful when we occupied their ruined castle offering them our protection. That provided us with a base of operations that was situated in the middle of the empire and for almost a thousand years the villagers worshiped us as God's. When Christianity appeared and finally conquered the noble Roman Empire burying the old beliefs, my feat went on into legend and I became a saint. Saint Marcus, the man who drove the vampires out of Volterra. The irony of that still makes us laugh today.

I loved my new life, the power, the respect and the immortality that I had. I had been made for this and for this new world. But she, my wife of my human years and my mate in my vampire life didn't. And while I built a future for our kind, and she distributed happiness all around her, her heart was turning to stone and hatred and loathing feasted on her soul.

She hated being a vampire and all that it represented. For centuries she tried to make me leave, to go and live like a nomad. Even after Aro and Caius found their mates and vampires asked to join us she could not find it in her the will to move on from her human life. I indulged in all of her escapes and extravagances. But it was never enough. She was always unsatisfied, always unhappy even though she distributed happiness.

No amount of love and attention given to her would make her want to stay. She hated the vampire court and her brother Aro. She blamed him for her supposed soulless existence and for the children that she could never have.

It was not his fault. But her troubled mind didn't acknowledge it and she never gave up blaming him becoming bitter that the chance of bearing a child had been forever taken from her.

I had to see my mate become increasingly unhappy, and slowly descend into an abysm of grief and hatred. We firmly believed that it was what made her go insane at the end and decide to betray us, and go on her own to seek a pack of werewolves to attack and destroy the Volturi. I sighed deeply as the memory played in my mind, clear as if it had been today and not more than a thousand years ago.

'_We had left Volterra with our tracker and my mate's trail was not difficult to find. Her bodyguard had returned to us when she managed to escape him in the woods surrounding the town. She had been increasingly difficult to deal with and talked often of ending it all. We could not believe that her despair would reach such eighths._

_We found her trail mingled with the trails of three werewolves, the same ones that had been creating havoc in the neighboring human populations and that we were actively hunting. But we were too late. The full moon was high in the sky and the brutish men were already changing. We had no choice but to engage in battle. _

"_Aro, seek Didyme, and make her safe!" I yelled to my brother as a werewolf clawed at my leg. Caius, me and the tracker we had just acquired were enough to fight these young ones._

_Aro took off and it didn't took us long to finish the inexperienced werewolves. I wanted to hurry so while Demetri and I dismembered the infected carcasses I told Caius to go and fetch some dry wood. I wanted this over with soon. I craved to go to my mate and take her to security._

_I could no longer trust her to be alone and unaccompanied. She was near, her presence calling to my very soul, making me feel whole and complete. I looked around and saw Caius walking slowly towards us, and the look on his face chocked any words that I may have wanted to say. He dropped the dry wood onto the pile of limbs, cut into his palm to drop some venom on the wood and started the fire with the torch that Demetri had lit._

"_Demetri, you may go. Go to the castle and speak nothing of this."His voice held all the authority of the commander of the guard and Demetri didn't question the order. He just nodded and took off._

"_Where is my mate? Where is Aro?" I had no patience for games right now. I was feeling something unidentified deep in my gut, a terrible feeling of dread. Before he could stop me I took off, picking up Aro's trail easily._

_Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. My mate lay on the ground completely naked, Aro by her side, his cape trying to cover a little of her modesty. Her body was a broken mangled mess of werewolf scratches and bites. Venom was leaking from every bite mark and thorn limb. _

_My roar of outrage shook the forest for miles until I sunk to the floor by her side._

"_Didyme…"I cried, spent. Aro looked at me pityingly and stood, walking over to Caius. I frantically tended to her wounds, licking them, taking away the foul scent of those beasts' teeth and claws. I held her arms into place and watched as they unite with her body. She was going to be heavily scarred as their claws and teeth were the only ones that could mark our skin. I didn't care, she was my mate, my wife, and to me she would always be the most beautiful woman in the world. Every cry and sob that left her throat was knives that carved into my soul. But if I thought that I knew pain, I was wrong. What she said once she regained the ability to speak shattered my world._

"_Marcus..kill me, plea…please…if…you lov..me…kill me…"She sobbed weakly. _

_I just shook my head in denial. How could she ask me that? I wanted to yell at her and beg and cry and die myself, everything but to lose her. She was badly wounded but she was already healing, her breathing steadying. How could she want to leave me? She saw my denial and she became more agitated._

"_If …you d…n't I will do it again...I will seek them again…"What was she saying? I heard my brother's gasps and looked at the incredulity that washed away the pity they felt for me and for her._

"_Did you look for these beasts?" I had to ask. I had to know if her despair was so great. They were our natural enemies and to seek them out was suicide. My world was spinning._

_My whole world caved around me as she looked into my eyes and nodded weakly._

"_Why? Why my love, why did you do this?"_

"_I…hate…We…are monsters, all…us! I will again….they attacked….the moon came, before I could...convince to attack Volterra…the Christians are right…we are demons…"I could not believe my ears. I looked in despair to my brothers, and saw that they harbored the same incredulous, pained look. She had betrayed us! I stood there with her in my arms, my brothers near me, lending me their strength by their presence, for an unknown amount of time. I just looked down at my broken, insane mate. Her babblings were irrational. She talked about death, about cleaning Volterra from evil by calling the wrath of God. _

_Unconsciously I loosed my arms from around her, trying to digest enormity of her confession. I didn't even understood what she was doing until I felt like I had achieved complete bliss and happiness. My brothers were too under the influence of her power that had become quite strong. It was all it took. She got up and despite her wounds and the fact that she was not completely healed she managed to escape us. She avoided Caius who was trying to shake his stupor and bolted like an arrow straight to where the burning pile of werewolf limbs was slowly turning the foul beasts to ash. Their bodies burned slower than ours._

_We pursued her but to no avail. Right before my eyes she jumped into the pile, laughing hysterically and immediately her venom filled body ignited. My brothers restrained me from going after her, my roars of pain echoing in the quiet, frozen forest. In seconds she was nothing but ashes. And I was left to wander this Earth alone._

_I don't know how many days I stood by her ashes, not willing to let go of my last link to her. The guard and my brother's mates came and sat down with me in silent vigil for many days. I could feel their presence but I did not acknowledge them. No one tried to engage me in conversation. _

_What can be said to a vampire that loses his mate? _

Not a single word was ever uttered about her death by our family. The real facts were never known. My brother Aro took the blame for it without flinching as it served our purposes. And so the legend began.

And that is how my eternity continued.

Eventually I got up from the ground and headed back to the palace. My focus became the Volturi and my family. And it gave me a sense of accomplishment the work that we, the Volturi were called upon to do, to organize and civilize our world and race. Over the centuries I learned to have some measure of happiness and to accept that this had been the better outcome. She had never been happy since she became a vampire and not even my love for her could save her. I loved her enough to understand her need to die and to make my peace with it.

But I loved my life too and I was not tired of my eternity yet, even if it was to be lived without the true love of a mate.

When I finally gave notice to my family that I would begun to live in the sensual world again, centuries had passed, and my brother Aro made sure that my bed was warmed by some of the most beautiful women and men in both worlds, human and vampire. I accepted it; eternity was a long time to be without sex. I was a man in the end, and sex is something that I had always enjoyed. I knew that our kind only mated once, or so it was said, but I found out that I could live like this. So, I locked my love for my dead mate in a box inside my heart, promised myself that I would never love again, closed her chambers and tried to make the best of the gift of eternal life that had been given to me.

Aro's soft voice woke me out of my walk down memory lane.

"Marcus, the Cullen boy is here." I merely cleaned up my mind, and straightened a little in my throne. I noticed that my brother's mates were already out of sight. They did not get involved in our politics or ruling unless their advice was asked. They too knew their place. We do not share our power with anyone else.

I could not believe my ears. The stupid boy! How could this be? He claimed to be mated to a human girl for a few months, and he had left her alone to live a happy, human life without him? How come a vampire mates and doesn't claim his mate, human or not? The need for intimacy and for claiming completely is almost overwhelming in our race and little have the strength to fight it. This boy exuded an aura of martyrdom, and of drama that was quite ridiculous. But he was a Cullen. They were not strangers to drama.

All of this because she had died and he wanted to die too, hopping that he could join her in heaven. Stupid child! I had lost a wife and mate of centuries and I still lived. Weak creature. The boy didn't like my thoughts and growled lowly at me, earning him a burst of pain from my dear Jane that immediately silenced him.

Immediately I remembered how to block his talent. It seems that Carlisle doesn't instill respect for the eldest in his rag tag brood. That will earn him some problems in the future of that I am sure and it is not well seen by the other covens. Maybe that is why they don't get along with anyone else.

Having to hide my thoughts from a snooping child in my own house was infuriating, and what I really wanted to rip his head off for making me go through the effort. That would settle this problem once and for all and free us to pursue more pleasant matters. I was about to suggest that to Aro and saw that Caius opinion was much the same, when I felt my brother's whole posture tense. Something was very wrong. My brother Aro turned to us, after letting go of the boy's hand and his blank and void from emotions face made me look closely at the boys bonds, all the while keeping my thoughts well hidden.

His bonds to the supposed dead girl where indeed ones of mating. But they were the wrong color. They were a sickly black and purple color that made me want to puke my inwards out, when a true mating bond is silvery and bright like a mid day's sun. I knew that for sure. I had seen mating bonds all of my life and it never varies. And the matting bond was not broken as it gets when a mate dies. The girl was alive yet!

Something was incredibly wrong. His bonds with his family were the normal color, except for two. Two of his bonds were weaker, showing almost as if it was forced. He didn't like these persons in his family and he tried to force some feelings towards them, but they were false. Only when they were all in front of me I could know for sure who it was. It could provide us with some leverage.

I kept my thoughts well hidden while thinking only with the primary layers of my mind about the naked beauty in my chambers, knowing that it would sway the boy's attention from me. From Aro's face I could see that he too was hiding his thoughts. I watched them carefully as the boy squirmed and refused to join us, arguing with Aro that his family was innocent and that it had been him that had broken the law and that now it was over because the girl was dead and he wanted to join her.

I needed to talk to Aro about this immediately but I didn't want to alert the boy.

"I am sorry, dear boy but I cannot hurt my dear friend Carlisle that way. I will give you sometime though. I will give you until tomorrow to give you a final answer. You must understand that I must make some inquiries. I ask of you to return to us tomorrow morning. Remember the rules about our race, young Cullen. Two of the guards will keep an eye on you to see that you follow them." He dismissed the boy with a wave of his hand and we watched when he slowly walked out, the perfect image of misery and stupidity and, if I was right, of a huge error that would fall not only on him but on his whole family. Demetri and Felix followed him like a silent shadow at a nod from Caius.

As soon as he walked out and was out of our senses we turned to each others. Caius already sensed that something was wrong and was waiting. I knew what the foolish boy had done and so did Aro. Silently we followed Aro to the secret office, situated deep under the castle. No one dared to follow us once we reached the black door. Only we had the keys to this part of the castle.

Now we had to take measures to sort out the mess and to punish the culprits.

And I knew that we had big trouble coming our way. Carlisle was well known and loved by the vampire world. He had gained the respect of our race by his compassion and moral strength. He was considered one of the best of us and it surprised me that he would permit the horror that I was beginning to suspect his son had had committed.

My senses, sharpened by millennia of experience and knowledge were telling me that our world was going to be put on trial. I could sense the trouble coming our way and unconsciously my body tensed, waiting for the blow.

Little did I know that the storm that was coming would shake all of my beliefs and change my life when my brother uttered the fatal words:

"The Cullen boy has performed "_reclusione di un'anima"_ on the human girl."

*A/N - I placed Marcus, Didyme, Caius and Aro's human life around the Patrician Era (509–367 BC) of Rome. Aro and Didyme are Etrurian (a region in the middle of Italy, and a precursor of the Roman civilization) and Marcus is a Roman nobleman from an ancient and powerful family that can be traced as being involved in the origins of Rome. My Marcus was changed when he was 38 years old.

So…what do you think? The chapter will be divided into two parts because telling things from his point of view is almost a whole story on his own. He has so much to tell and he feels so much and so deeply. Tell me what you think of his story so far…quite a tragic life no?


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